Courtyards at Southpoint
Bettie Ruth Mangum:
April 9, 1947 – Aug. 17, 2026
Bettie Ruth Mangum, 79, died Aug. 17 at home following an extended illness.
Bettie was born April 9, 1947, in Wilson, N.C., a daughter of the late Thomas and Alberta Mitchell Taylor. She was an area resident all her life.
Bettie worked at American Tobacco before beginning a long career in health care as a licensed professional nurse. She worked at the former Dorothea Dix / Central Regional Hospital before retiring from Duke Health in 2015. Additionally, she worked as a beautician, a model for Mitchell’s and was an interior decorator for a short time.
Bettie Ruth Mangum
She enjoyed indoor and outdoor plants and had a tasteful flair for decorating. She had quite the collection of shoes, of which she was very proud. Bettie also loved her many dogs throughout the years and will now be missed by her beloved Sebastian.
Bettie was a faithful member of Henderson Grove Baptist Church, where she served on the board of directors, sang in the gospel and inspirational choirs and was always on call as the “church nurse.”
In addition to her parents, Bettie was predeceased by her grandson, Tavares. Bettie is survived by her daughter, Valeria (Stevie) Taylor-Turner, and her sons, Robert Cannady (Beverly) and Cornell Lamont Cannady, all of Durham. She also is survived by her sisters, Luetta Taylor Pitt, Shirley Taylor (Ricky) and Irma Ferrell, as well as brothers, Leon Taylor and William “Bill” Ferrell (Ida). Bettie is further survived by her ex-husband, Edward Mangum; grandchildren, Rachel, Christian, Zhorlond, Zasha, Alexis, Xavier and Elijah, as well as several great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Friends and family attended a memorial service for Bettie Aug. 29 at Henderson Grove Baptist Church in Morrisville.