Emily Grier Beaty

Emily Nan Grier Beaty, age 93, of Mt. Pleasant, SC (formerly of Concord, NC), died on December 9, 2023.

Emily was born on November 16, 1930 to Rufus A. and Susie Mae Brown Grier in the Shopton and Steele Creek Community of Mecklenburg County. She graduated from Berryhill High School in 1948 and was valedictorian of her class. She loved sports from an early age and fondly recalled her years playing on the high school basketball team and softball team. She was also selected to attend Girls State. She graduated from Flora McDonald College, (now St. Andrews University) Magna Cum Laude in 1952. She was in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and served on the Student Council and Athletic Board. She made many lifelong friends in college and kept up with her classmates through the years by serving on the Alumni Council.

Emily married the love of her life, Rev. F. Donald Beaty, on June 18, 1955 at Steele Creek Presbyterian Church. They had a wonderful and loving life together. Theirs will be a joyful reunion in heaven! Emily said that she always knew she would marry a minister, she just didn’t know he would be Methodist! She participated in the life and fellowship of the many congregations Don served in over 40 years of ministry, making many lifelong friends along the way. She taught mathematics in both junior high and high school for 20 years, while also being involved in the lives and activities of their children at every stage.

Emily had many interests throughout her life and shared her love of sports, nature, birds, astronomy, math, the beach, and sea turtles, among other things, with her children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends. She planned a special road trip across the country in 1973 with her family, visiting many national parks, highlighted by the time at Yellowstone. She returned to Yellowstone with her 3 children to celebrate her 80th birthday, and again with her children and grandchildren to celebrate her 85th birthday! She and Don enjoyed a trip to the Holy Land in 1989 and a Ministerial Exchange in England in 1995. She became a Duke basketball fan during the time Don was in Divinity School at Duke, when she was teaching at Carr Junior High in Durham, NC. Through the years, she remained the biggest fan of Duke basketball and enjoyed friendly rivalries with church friends and family that pulled for UNC and State.

Emily lived her values of faith, family, friends, and community throughout all the days of her life. She always had a sparkle in her eyes and genuine interest and excitement about everything important to her. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and spent many happy hours and days with them through the years. She also recently loved spending time with her great-grandson!

In addition to her parents, Emily is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Don; her sister, Esther Mae Grier Wall; and brother, Rufus A. Grier Jr. Mrs. Beaty is survived by her 3 children and their spouses: Rufus and Beth Beaty of Sweetwater, TN, Susan and Mark Hamner of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Harold and Laura Beaty of Ocean Isle Beach, NC. She is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 4 grandchildren-in-law: Ben Hamner and Vanessa Kennedy, Chris Hamner, Grace Beaty and Matt Albert, Julia Beaty, Emily and Davis Westbrook, and Thomas and Alanna Beaty, in addition to great-grandsons, Henry Russell Hamner and Riley Grier Westbrook. She was looking forward to the birth of her third great-grandson any day now! She is also survived by special nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Emily’s celebration of life will be held on Monday, December 18th, at 11:00 AM at Central United Methodist Church, Concord, NC. A visitation and reception will be held immediately afterwards. Burial will be at the old Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery, 7311 Steele Creek Road, Charlotte, NC at 2:30 PM. Emily’s family would like to thank the caring staff members at Franke at Seaside and The Palms of Mt. Pleasant. Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, 30 N. Union Street, Concord NC 28025.