Barbara Elizabeth Styles

The Reverend Barbara (Betsy) Pittard Styles, 85, daughter of Dr. Barbara Pittard Payne Stancil (deceased) and Marion Carter Pittard (deceased) and wife of Reverend James Robert Styles (deceased) entered the life eternal on February 29, 2024.

A native of Atlanta, she was raised in the Druid Hills/Emory area where she graduated from Druid Hills High School in 1956. She attended Emory University and finished her undergraduate work at Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1971. She completed her Masters of Science from Georgia State University in 1989 with a specialty in Gerontology. She completed Foundational Studies of the United Methodist Church which was awarded by Union Theological Seminary in 1993. She was ordained a Deacon in the United Methodist Church in 1997. She was a member of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Her last appointment in the North Georgia Conference before her retirement was as Minister with Older Adults at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church where she served for eight years. She served as Executive Director to several non-profit organizations including Northside Shepherd Center, Perimeter Adult Learning Services, and Aging Director at Catholic Social Services.

Rev. Styles married Chaplain James R. Styles, United States Air Force, in 1959, and followed him for 17 years of his 22 years in service to various assignments including Japan, Turkey, and England. Upon Chaplain Styles' retirement in 1976, they returned to Atlanta and lived in the Tucker area.

Rev. Styles was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Her volunteer efforts have been many and varied and include Patient Family Advisor to Emory Health Care and the originator/director of the Homebound Communion Ministry at Tucker First United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her son, James Robert, Jr. of Jupiter, Florida, her niece, Elizabeth Styles Halatali of Gainesville, Georgia, and her nephew, Ken Styles (Ann) of Blairsville, Georgia. She is predeceased by her daughter, Rachel Anne Brown, and her brother, Marion Tarlton Pittard; brother-in-law William A. Styles (Jo); brother-in-law Nathan K. Styles (Rosemary).

The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, March 5, at 2:00 PM at Tucker First United Methodist Church, 5095 Lavista Road, Tucker, Georgia, with A Celebration of Life Service to follow at 3:00 PM.