Betty June (Dawson) Smith

Betty June (Dawson) Smith, age 91, of Calera, Alabama, passed away peacefully on January 25, 2026, at Baptist Health-Shelby Hospital in Alabaster. She was born in Jefferson County, Alabama, on July 11, 1934, the cherished daughter of the late Jesse James Dawson and the late Maggie Pocola Goodwin Dawson.

Betty devoted much of her life to caring for others as a Licensed Practical Nurse, a profession she truly loved. Her compassion and gentle spirit made a lasting impact on the many patients and coworkers whose lives she touched throughout her years of service.

In addition to her nursing career, Betty was a gifted and accomplished painter. Her artwork brought beauty and inspiration to those around her, even adorning the halls of Shelby Baptist Medical Center where she worked. Her talent was widely recognized, earning her several awards and the admiration of many.

Betty also had a love for travel and appreciated the opportunities she had to explore new places and experience the world around her.

She is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth Ann York, Elaine York George, and Theresa Bozeman; her son, Raymond E. York; six grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and her sister, Nella Dawson Seale, along with extended family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Smith, and her daughter, Linda Carolyn Watkins.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Shelby Memory Gardens in Calera, Alabama, with Rev. J. Aaron Ellison officiating.

Final care and arrangements are entrusted to Ellison Memorial Funeral Home at Shelby Memory Gardens in Calera, Alabama.