Betty West Aiton

Betty Elise West Aiton, 91, of Martha Franks Retirement Community, and wife of Erle Coleman Aiton, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 30.

Born on July 25, 1933 in Anderson, she was the only child of Raymond Jones West and Elise Hall West. She graduated from Anderson Girls High in 1951 and received her degree in elementary education from Erskine College in 1954. She and Erle met at Erskine. Upon his return from serving in the U.S. Army, they married on June 23, 1956 at Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Anderson.

Over her thirty-year career in education, she taught in Donalds, Ware Shoals, Anderson and Pawleys Island. Most of these thirty years were spent in the second-grade classroom, but she also spent a few years teaching first and third grades.

Betty was a member of several churches throughout her life. She loved music and was involved in the church music ministry at Mountain Creek Baptist Church where she was a choir member, Director of Music and accompanist. Later in life she was a member of Boulevard Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Anderson. Most recently, she was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Laurens, where she was a member of the choir. Over the years, she also shared her voice by singing for weddings.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by: two daughters Raymoth Aition Campbell (Frank) of Beaufort, S.C. and Ivy Aiton Smith (William) of Laurens; three grandchildren Arley Elizabeth Campbell Hunter (Brian) of Melbourne, Florida; Christopher Adam Campbell (Angela) of Columbia; and Robert Alexander Smith and fiancee’ Julianne Turner of Simpsonville; and four great grandchildren Rory, Cameron, and Calum Hunter and Greyson Campbell.

A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel at Martha Franks Retirement Community on July 2 at 2:30 P.M. The family will receive friends following the service.

Memorials may be made to Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community Memory Care or Lutheran Hospice.

The family would like to express their thanks to the Memory Care and Skilled Nursing staff at Martha Franks. Also, they extend a heartfelt thanks to Jan Dunaway and Betty’s special friend, Joey Estes.

Condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting www.grayfuneralhome.com

Gray Funeral Home of Laurens is assisting the Aiton family with arrangements.