Betty Jo (Scoggins) Smith

Betty Jo Scoggins Smith, 61, of Vander, died Sunday, January 13, 2019 at Duke Medical Center.

Mrs. Smith was born November 2, 1957 in Smithfield, NC. She was preceded in death by her parents, D.S. and Edna McDaniel and Mark Scoggins; brother, David Leroy McDaniel and sister, Carol Lane McDaniel.

Betty Jo is survived by her devoted husband of 38 years, Duane Ashford Smith. She is also survived by her son, Justin Kyle Smith and wife, Maygan Lord Smith of Cedar Creek and daughter, Erika Brooke Smith of Vander. Her delight was her two beautiful grandchildren, Landen Kersey and Maggie Jo Smith of Cedar Creek. Her sister, Shelba McDaniel Jones and husband, Robert of Lawrenceville, GA; brother, Jimmy Ray McDaniel and wife, Carol of Kennesaw, GA; brother, Roland Fred McDaniel and wife, Rita of Wade, NC; brother, Daniel Charlton McDaniel and wife, Gwen of New Bern, NC; sister-in-law, Faye McDaniel of Stedman, as well as many nieces, nephews and adopted children.

Upon graduation from UNC-W, Mrs. Smith began a career in Social Services first with Cumberland County Mental Health and then as a School Social Worker with Cumberland County Schools. Her 30 year career included time serving the Westover, Southview, Cape Fear and Gray’s Creek school districts. It was due to her generous efforts both within her job requirements and beyond that she was awarded the Faye Huckabee Social Worker of the Year award in 2013-2014. She is known for her ability to see the best in every person, see beyond their circumstance to their potential and for her unmerited generosity in seeing students and families achieve more than they knew they could. She fought for many students even after they were no longer under her direct care within the school and she never tired from making sure her students had every need met. The only thing that took her away from her calling to serve those in need was the time she committed to her daughter’s education and her retirement gift of caring for her granddaughter, Maggie Jo. Her legacy to take care of the least among us comes from a deep-seated faith in Christ and a heart for the downtrodden. It is mirrored in the lives of her family, friends and former coworkers as they continue the work she began.

The family will receive guests at Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home on Thursday January 17, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday January 18, 2019 at Temple Baptist Church with burial to follow at Old Bluff Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation at www.komen.org

Funeral arrangements are handled by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home.

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