Betty Ann Mercer, 88, of Lake Wales, Florida, passed peacefully at home on Wednesday evening, June 25, 2025, surrounded by her loving children, husband, and sister.
Born at home “out in the sticks” near Griffin, Georgia, on October 18, 1936, Betty Ann was the daughter of the late Daisy Gladys and Horace Carr Byne. She grew up on a farm with vegetable and flower gardens, chickens, and cows, and from an early age found joy in the beauty of the natural world.
After graduating from high school, Betty Ann worked at the Borden Milk Company near Atlanta and later moved to Lakeland, Florida, to attend Southeastern Bible College. In 1958, she met William Rex Mercer, and just three months after their first date at Cypress Gardens, they were married. Together, they became educators and members of the Polk Education Association.
While teaching full-time in Frostproof and raising two young children, Betty Ann earned her master’s degree in school guidance and counseling from Rollins College in Winter Park. In 1975, the family moved to Lake Wales, where she worked at Hillcrest Elementary for more than 20 years, first as a second-grade teacher and later as a guidance counselor. She inspired a love of reading and learning in her students, and her dedication was recognized in 1988 when she was honored as Polk County Teacher of the Year.
Betty Ann was a committed member and leader at First Assembly of God, now Impact Church. She taught Sunday School and founded a Women’s Aglow fellowship. She had a passionate vision for the church’s new building to be located at the entrance to Bok Tower Gardens, where, after much prayer and negotiation, it indeed stands today. She truly embodied Edward Bok’s sentiment encouraging people to make a difference in their world: “Wherever your lives may be cast, make the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.”
Betty Ann was cherished by all who knew her. She was calm, gentle, and kind – a nurturing presence who never spoke a harsh word. She gave of herself freely, caring for her family, her students, her church community, animals, and anyone in need. She was the heart of her family and a source of endless love, support, and quiet strength. She found much happiness in tending to her plants and garden, sitting outside watching the sandhill cranes, or reclining peacefully with a cat or two on her lap. The next time you see a butterfly, hear birds singing, or see a beautiful sunset, please take a moment to remember our sweet Betty Ann.
She was preceded in death by her beloved sister Joan and her brothers, Horace Jr. and Harmon Byne. She is survived by her faithful husband of nearly 67 years, William Rex Mercer; her sister, Nora Alice Chapman of Lake Wales; her brother, Dr. William Marcus Byne of the Bronx, New York; her loving daughter, Lanna Mercer Barbaroux and life partner, Eduardo Beltran of Austin; and her adoring son, William Steven Mercer, who cared for his mother with great devotion in her final years.
A celebration of Betty Ann’s life will be held at a later date. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.marionnelsonfuneralhome.com.
