Betty Frances Stephens, 92 years young, was born on July 28, 1934, in Rome, Georgia, and passed away suddenly on October 7, 2026.

Betty attended Rome High School at the Clock Tower, where she was known as Betty McBurnett, before marrying and beginning her family in Marietta with Billy. She was a homemaker and drove a school bus for several years while raising her family. In 1972, she was remarried to Daniel Barben, who was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan. He was later stationed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California before they returned to Rome, where he became a police officer and she worked at the cable company.

During her early years with her oldest daughter, Debi, Betty introduced her to modeling, music, and singing. When her youngest daughter, Tracey, joined the U.S. Air Force in the 1980s, Betty made it a point to visit the places where Tracey was stationed, including Alaska & Hawaii. She owned her own house cleaning business in the early 1990’s. In 1995, Betty moved to Oklahoma to live with Tracey, later following her to Tampa, Florida, before returning to Rome in late 2004.

Betty loved eating at Waffle House, shopping, gardening, scrapbooking, creating photo albums, coloring with her granddaughters and caring for the many dogs & cats she adopted over the years. All her pets will be waiting for her at Rainbow Bridge to escort her on to Heaven’s Gate. Some of her best loved animals are dogs Molly, Giget and Kandy and her favorite cats were Ace, Plummer & Polly Pocket. She was at her best when caring for someone who was sick or hurt. Betty never met a stranger and contributed to many organizations such as food banks, military organizations, animal rescue and Indian Schools out West.

Betty was preceded in death by her mother Willie Grace “Gracie” Howard, Stepfather John Fite & a sister, Edna Ruth McBurnett. The love of her life, Billy H. Stephens; GySgt Daniel Barben, USMC, who loved her the most; her son-in-law, Gary Gottlieb; her granddaughter, Kippi Shea Smith; and her favorite cousins, Glenda Fortune Voyles & Edward Howard.

She leaves behind her two daughters, Debra “Debi” Smith & MSgt Tracey Stephens, USAF (Ret.), together with son-in-law, SFC Ed Shockley, U.S. Army (Ret.); her grandchildren, Brandon Smith, Niki Shockley (Zack Parker), Samantha Shockley (Levi Bennett), and Abigail Shockley; and her great-granddaughter, Alexis Johnson, and her son, Felix.

Special thanks to Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center in Rome.

Visitation for Mrs. Stephens will be held at Salmon Funeral Home & Crematory on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Her celebration of life will begin at 1:00 p.m. at Salmon Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at Oakland Cemetery, located at Church Street & Calhoun Avenue in Rome.

Salmon Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to care for and care for Mrs. Betty Stephens and her loving family.