Roper Funeral Home and Crematory 206 Holly St Jasper, GA 30143 (706) 253-7500 (706) 253-0040 www.roperfuneralhome.com Mary Elizabeth Cloud, known to all who loved her as Betsy, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026, five days before her 72nd birthday, surrounded by her husband and soulmate of more than 55 years and her children. Betsy was born on St. Patrick's Day in 1954 in Roanoke, Virginia to her parents, Margaret Annette Smith Christensen and Russell Earl Christensen Sr. She was raised in nearby Salem, Virgina, in a beautiful home that she cherished. Betsy was the middle child of three, growing up alongside her older brother, Russ and younger sister, Ellen. Her parents ran a nursery, and from an early age Betsy valued the quiet magic of working with her hands and playing in the dirt. She always described her childhood as a wholesome and joyful one, filled with long afternoons of play, sun-worn bike rides, the satisfying hum of a sewing machine, and festive family gatherings that left lasting memories. She loved to tell us about the legendary sledding track her dad carefully packed with slick ice each winter, the kind that brought together family, neighbors, and the whole community, and at least once sent someone flying straight into a neighbor's chicken coop. After high school, she ventured to Blacksburg to attend Virginia Tech, where she earned a degree in education, a fitting foundation for a life devoted to nurturing others. For more than 30 years, she was a beloved kindergarten and preschool teacher whose classroom was known as a place of creativity, warmth, and joy, where children felt safe, capable, and deeply valued. She believed deeply in the power of imagination, loved public libraries, and was always ready to lend a book from her own collection, which included nearly every Dr. Seuss book ever written. Betsy married her high school sweetheart, Steve Cloud. They were truly soulmates whose love for one another only grew stronger through all the twists and turns of raising a family and building a life together. Together, they devoted themselves to creating the best possible opportunities for their children, which involved packing up their lives more than once, loading three kids, two dogs, and two cats into a van and making a home in Tennessee, then Texas, then Tennessee again, before finally putting down roots in metro Atlanta. Through every move they held tight to each other and to their family. In retirement they thrived, splitting their time between Big Canoe and St. Augustine, walking their dogs, and making an annual journey to drink iced tea and snack on pimento cheese sandwiches at the Masters tournament. Betsy loved the warmth of the sun, a good book under an umbrella, a glass of red wine, a deep conversation with Fleetwood Mac in the background, and a bowl of soup she made herself. She enjoyed the simple things in life, especially when she was doing them with Steve. Betsy was an extraordinary mother. She created a home that felt like its own little world, full of joyful traditions, inside jokes, and a family humor entirely their own. She gave their pets voices and personalities all their own, bringing them to life in a way that made every child in the house an animal lover for life. She encouraged her kids to explore the outdoors, make music, build things, dance, study hard, and seek adventure. She was a doer and a problem solver who could stitch up a torn pair of pants in a jiffy, fix a broken appliance instead of calling a repairman, and give her children the love and guidance to surmount the trials and tribulations of youth, adulthood, and parenthood. She was resourceful and thrifty, modeling a life built on ingenuity, hard work, and the belief that family, love, and knowledge mattered far more than anything money could buy. She was nonjudgmental and open, someone her children could share their deepest truths with. She was the heart of the family, and as her children grew, she grew with them, moving from mother to trusted friend and confidant in a way that only the best moms can do. Betsy was a devoted and deeply present grandmother. As "Ama" to her grandchildren, a name her grandson Luke gave her, she was in her element. She had a special relationship with each of her grandchildren, taking the time to know them as individuals. She created meaningful traditions and handmade keepsakes, including a stitched bunny for each child, and planned thoughtful activities that made every grandchild feel deeply loved and seen. She read to them, played with them, cuddled with them, cheered for them at their baseball and soccer games, and made them millions of snacks, including pancakes shaped like puppy dogs to put an extra smile on their faces. More than anything, she simply loved loving them. Her cornerstone rule was simple: "Always be nice to your mother." Now, honoring that rule means living the way she taught us: being kind, staying resourceful, taking care of one another, using our imaginations, and, in our own ways, giving others what she gave us: a place to belong and to feel deeply loved. Betsy is survived by her husband and soulmate, Steve Cloud; her children, Sherry Peterson (Kent), David Cloud (Ann), and Scott Cloud; her grandchildren, Luke Peterson, Phoenix Cloud, Brooks Peterson, Nash Cloud, Vivien Cloud, and Ellis Peterson; and her siblings, Russell Christensen (Judy) and Ellen Thomas (Kevin). Betsy will also be deeply missed by her beloved dog Cooper, as well as the many grand puppies who brought her so much joy. She leaves behind a wide circle of family and friends whose lives are richer for having known her. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Betsy's memory to the MDS Foundation at mds-foundation.org/donate .