Betty Dickerson Sowder, 87, of Mechanicsville, Virginia, passed away peacefully Friday, Aug. 21, 2026.
Born Nov. 9, 1938, at her family home in Shawsville, she was the daughter of the late Riley Tazewell and Anna Ella Martin Dickerson and was the eldest of five siblings. Betty graduated from Shawsville High School and later from Radford University, where she “survived” the dust checks on the tops of her dorm room door frames and Dean Moffett’s white-glove requirements for formal social events and Sunday church attendance.
On July 27, 1963, she married James L. Sowder at Sowder Chapel in Shawsville. Throughout the years, they built a life reflecting their pleasant, rural southwest Virginia roots. She found joy in all things “James L”, including gardening and canning, but was also a skilled seamstress. She was a devoted wife whose love and support were the heart of their home. She delighted in preparing nourishing meals for her family and for the many family visits and hunting trips back to “the country” over the years. She brought countless family reunions and holiday gatherings together in unforgettable fashion.
Beyond an unwavering family-centric focus, Betty was quite fulfilled by her accomplishments as the technical systems coordinator on the leading edge of bringing network computing to the American Cancer Society across the state of Virginia in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. During that same period, she mastered library science, skills she used to develop and maintain the church libraries at Glen Allen Baptist, and then Mechanicsville Baptist.
Betty’s deep and abiding faith in Christ, as her Lord and Savior, was central to her life. Above all things, her faith was the foundation of her life, as was her desire to pass those values on to future generations. Her family was her greatest joy, and she loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren fiercely, never missing an opportunity to tell them. She graciously and selflessly looked out for others, never failed to remember her family’s special days, and ensured that every greeting and parting included a hug, a kiss on the cheek, and the sincerest of “I love you’s.”
She will be so dearly remembered by her husband of 63 years, James L. Sowder; her daughter, Johanna (Gregory) Townsend, and her son, Nathan (Jeana) Sowder; her grandchildren: Kayla Spurlock, Jessica Sowder (Zach), Kayla Spurlock, Jessica Sowder (Zach) and Hunter Sowder (Jess); and her great-grandchildren: Marques, Arika, Kayden, Alyssa, Mallory, Nolan, Beau, Abraham, and Harold; her brother, Marshall (Donna) Dickerson; her sister, Edna Conner; as well as a great many nieces, nephews and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Watson Lee Dickerson and her sister, Mary Jeanette Graham.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Mechanicsville Baptist Church at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Mechanicsville, Va.; Dr. Gary Threatt will officiate. Betty’s family will greet guests at a visitation beginning at 11:45 a.m. at the church, prior to the service. Please come in casual dress if the alternative is not coming at all. Interment will be at a later date at Signal Hill Memorial Park in Hanover, Va.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Mechanicsville Baptist Church, 8016 Atlee Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23111.
For online condolences, visit: bennettfuneralhomes.com.
