Betty Margaret Rushing Markham, 78, of Dothan, Alabama, passed away on October 14, 2026 surrounded by her loving husband and their three children. She was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on May 29th, 1948. She was the firstborn child of Elvis Rushing and Lurlene Dill Rushing. Her arrival brought such joy to her grocer parents, that they celebrated by naming Betty M. Cornmeal and Flour in her honor. It was ground and packaged at Brown’s Mill on Stones River and sold at Rushing’s Supermarket for 25 years.
Betty developed her strong work ethic and love for people as a young cashier at her father’s supermarket and her grandfather’s business, Pop’s Salvage Company on Vine Street. Betty was a 1966 graduate of Murfreesboro Central High School. She attended David Lipscomb College for two years before finishing her B.S. in English at Middle Tennessee State University in 1971. She was active in the MTSU Christian Student Center from its earliest days. Betty began her teaching career as an English teacher at Huntland and Shelbyville Central High before moving to Memphis.
While attending MTSU, Betty caught the eye of David Markham of Goodlettsville in a philosophy class. It was her beautiful smile that first captured his attention. After David served two years in the Army including a stint in Korea, the two resumed dating and were married on June 10, 1973. The newlyweds moved to Memphis, where David began medical school at the University of Tennessee. During those years, Betty supported them as a counselor at Harding Academy until David completed his internship and residency.
Betty and David were blessed with three children, Briant, Jonathan, and Mary Kate. In 1983, the Markhams moved to Dothan, Alabama where Dr. Markham served as a Pathologist for 20 years at Flower’s Hospital. Betty loved her roles as a wife and mother, devoting herself to supporting her husband and nurturing the growth and discipleship of her children. She took great pride in watching her three children grow and pursue their own paths, each graduating from Auburn University. Briant became an engineer, Jonathan a dentist, and Mary Kate an optometrist.
The Markham family grew with Jonathan’s marriage to Sarah Sanders of Brundidge, Alabama, and Mary Kate’s marriage to Jason Moring of Dothan. Betty and David’s lives were further blessed with five grandchildren—Amelia, Will, and Adeline Markham, and David and Anna Katherine Moring—each of whom brought incredible joy to their lives.
Lake Eufaula became a treasured gathering place for the Markham family. Family and friends gathered often on weekends and holidays at their lake home for meals, fishing, skiing, and boating. Betty was an excellent Southern cook. Betty was known for her creativity, her love of flowers, and her gift for seeing beauty in old and forgotten treasures—a pastime she referred to as “junktiquing.”
At the age of sixteen, Betty was united with Christ through baptism into His saving gospel, beginning a lifelong journey of faithfully following Jesus. Her deep love for God’s Word was evident in her well-worn Bibles, filled with sermon notes, highlighted passages, and personal reflections. She delighted in studying Scripture, both independently and alongside others, and especially appreciated its historical and cultural context. The Gospel of John held a special place in her heart.
Betty’s faith was not only something she studied, but something she lived and shared with others. For many years, she taught fourth graders at Westgate Church of Christ in Dothan, ministered to women at the Houston County Jail, offered compassionate counsel at a local crisis pregnancy center and devoted herself to caring for her aging mother. Betty was fondly known for her gift of hospitality, warmly welcoming others into her home, gathering them around her table, and inviting them to the lake. In all these things, Betty sought to reflect the love of Christ in the lives of those around her. Betty’s final years were marked by a long and gradual illness, yet through it all, her spirit remained one of warmth and beauty. The same smile that first captured David’s heart continued to captivate those who loved her, even in her final days. Betty’s greatest legacy is found in the faith she lived, the family she loved, and the countless lives she touched along the way. Though she will be deeply missed, her family finds comfort in the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ, whom she faithfully followed.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved aunt, Mildred Dill Jamison Mitchell. In addition to her husband, children, and their families, she is survived by her brother, Joe Dill Rushing, and his wife, Gay, of Springfield, Tennessee, along with many cherished nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
A celebration of Betty’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Sunset Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am-11:00 am on Saturday prior to the service. Betty will be laid to rest in Sunset Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mission Fund at Westgate Church of Christ.
Sunset Memorial Park Funeral Home (334) 983-6604 www.SunsetMemorialPark.com
