Bettye Jean Loggins Mccaffrey Ellis

Bettye Jean Loggins McCaffrey Ellis passed peacefully from this life 2 February 2021 at her home with loved ones by her side.

Bettye was born 10 May 1929 to Reuben Wilson and Grace Edwards Loggins, Sr. on the Yorkville-Newbern Highway in Gibson County, Tennessee.  She graduated from Yorkville High School in 1947.  She attended and graduated from Draughn’s Business School in Memphis, Tennessee.  She returned to Gibson County to work as a secretary with the Rutherford Garment Factory where she met James Robert McCaffrey.  They married 2 July 1949 in the Yorkville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  A few years later, J.R. entered the Air Force.  Bettye and he lived in Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgia, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. during his career.  While in Colorado she was one of the first computer programmers for the Ampex Corporation.

After J.R.’s retirement, the family moved to Dyer, Tennessee.  In January 1970 she went to work as the Yorkville Field Office Secretary for U.S. Congressman Ed Jones.  She continued to work for Ed and his wife, Llewellyn Wyatt Jones, until both their passing.

Eight years after J.R. passed, Bettye married Dr. John W. Ellis of Dyer, Tennessee 7 March 1982.

Bettye, the 4th great niece of Rev. Samuel McAdow who was one of the founders of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, was a member of the Dyer Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  She served the congregation in many, many ways.  Among those ways were as a Sunday school teacher, Deacon, and Elder.  Bettye was known for her children’s sermons for Patriotic and church holidays.  She served as the treasurer of Christian Endeavor until her death.  Bettye was a member of the Jackson-Madison Chapter National Daughters of the American Revolution.

Family was her heart.  Everyone who entered her home became members of her family.  No one left her home hungry or without a care package.  Bettye loved her garden.  She was so happy when she could pull corn or pick her butterbeans.  Sharing her produce was another of her joys.  For the last twenty years she has been known as the “roll lady”.  She threw her rolls to spectators when she served as the 2017 Grand Marshall of the Dyer Station Celebration.

Preceding her in death were J.R. and John; her parents; her siblings, Wilson, Phillip, and Helen.

Surviving are her direct descendants, daughter, Gwen McCaffrey McReynolds (Gene); son, John R. McCaffrey; grandson, Adam McCaffrey McReynolds (Su); and great grandsons, Max and Logan McReynolds; and lifelong friend, Betty Jane King Brackeen (Jim).  She also leaves John Ellis’ family:  George, Jana Lee, Hamilton, Georgia Lee, Julie, Rex, and Jessie.  A host of family and friends mourn her passing.

In lieu of flowers or food, please donate to the charity of your choice or choose from among her favorites:  the Dyer Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Christian Endeavor, St. Jude, or the Bettye Jean Loggins McCaffrey Ellis Heritage Fund of the Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Due to COVID restrictions the family has chosen to forgo visitation.  Bettye will be laid to rest beside James Robert McCaffrey in the Yorkville Cemetery.  We will have a grand family reunion style celebration of her life when the tomatoes are in.