Elizabeth Piersol Petway

Elizabeth Piersol Petway 
Beloved Wife, Mother, Community Leader, and Advocate

Elizabeth “Betty” Piersol Petway of Jacksonville died on January 27, 2025, peacefully at home in Atlantic Beach surrounded by her loving family.

 Betty was the devoted wife of Thomas F. Petway III, who together shared a remarkable 63 years of marriage and three wonderful children, Brette, Mandi, and Ty, a large extended family, and a collection of devoted friends touching all corners of our community. Betty leaves behind the widest array of family and friends across Jacksonville and her legacy is undoubtedly defined as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and a forceful community advocate and philanthropist who cared deeply about Jacksonville and all her citizens, regardless of station or background.

 Together, Tom and Betty formed a formidable team, illustrating one of the world’s greatest love stories where two people fundamentally become one force for good, accomplishing so much as an inspiring duo. Betty was known to all as the staunch partner to her Tommy, a devoted mother, a loving ‘Gammy’ to her grandchildren, a trusted and loyal friend, and proud Jacksonville champion who truly loved the community and took tremendous pride in helping all people advance. 

 Along with Tom and their family, Betty left a lasting positive impact on the Jacksonville community. In 1995, Tom led Touchdown Jacksonville with Betty at his side, which culminated in securing the NFL franchise Jacksonville Jaguars. As Vice Chair of the Petway Family Foundation, Betty played a pivotal role in stewarding their time and resources into causes geared toward lifting others up, including starting the beloved "Halloween Doors & More” in 2000, an event that brought joy to children and families while supporting pediatric care initiatives; supporting scholarships and grants at University of North Florida which recognized the Petway family by naming the College of Education & Human Services building in their honor; and helping to launch Hospice Services of Jacksonville to aid families and their loved ones at end of life. Betty's exceptional leadership and generosity were recognized with numerous accolades including "The Eve Award,” celebrating her outstanding contributions to the community.

 Beyond her achievements and community work, Betty will be remembered for her love, generosity, mentoring ways, sound advice, encouragement, candor, sense of humor, and honesty while celebrating successes and confronting challenges. Betty knew many triumphs in her life but also weathered heartache with grace and fortitude and was fond of saying, “We can’t major in the minors,” or “We must get up when we’ve fallen down, and carry on and do our best,” “Sometimes you gotta do things you don’t like,” and lastly, “We must never underestimate the power of a positive mental attitude.”

 Betty’s unshakable faith and her ‘can do’ attitude in life will remain a comforting inspiration to all who knew her and marveled at her strength, tireless drive, and energy when confronting life’s challenges. She used her creativity and abilities to design and build homes into a homelife that was always a beautiful and coveted refuge for her family and friends -- whether on the river, at the beach, at the mountains, or on the farm. Home was always where Tom and Betty were.

 Elizabeth “Betty” Hale Piersol Petway was born June 28, 1941, in Birmingham, Alabama. She is predeceased by her parents and her daughter Amanda “Mandi” Leigh Petway. She is survived by her loving husband, Thomas F. Petway III, whom she affectionately referred to her whole life as Tommy, her daughter Brette (Jeff), her son Ty (Lindsey), and eight grandchildren, Avery, Ashton, Ellie, Hayden, TJ, Piper, Dabney, and Molly. In addition, she is survived by her two sisters, Judy Piersol Weld of Birmingham, Alabama and Lynne Piersol Splinter of Tryon, North Carolina, and her sister-in-law Nancy Petway Falloon (Niall) along with scores of cousins, nieces, and nephews.

 The Petway family would like to thank the Mayo Clinic of Jacksonville and Betty’s team of physicians who so capably cared for her over the last few years, and Community Hospice and their staff who lovingly supported her and her family in the recent weeks.

 In lieu of flowers, the Petway family requests that donations be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Jacksonville Humane Society, or Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

 Services to celebrate Betty’s life will be held Monday, February 3, at 11:00 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church located at 4171 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32207, with a reception immediately following. Friends and family welcome.