Betty Lou Lawson

Betty Lou Lawson, age 85, of Centerville, Ohio, passed away on October 31, 2026. Born on January 27, 1942, near Prestonsburg, Kentucky, to the late Ruth Ann (Pinion) and Sherlie Ingram Stepp, Betty was a masterclass in resilience, generosity, and quiet faith.

Contracting polio in 1953, Betty spent months in isolation at Barney Convalescent Hospital. Though doctors warned she would never walk again or have children, she defied every expectation. She received her GED from Fairmont West High School and gave birth to three daughters, one with each husband: Gale Ann Strausbaugh (with Frank Ivel McIntosh), Tammy Sue Warner (with Lynwood “Johnny” Dudley Warner, Jr.), and Tina Lynn Lawson (with Robert Lee Lawson).

A devoted mother and quintessential neighborhood matriarch, her door was always open, her kitchen always stocked, and her hands never idle. Whether baking her famous cookies, water-skiing on Dale Hollow Lake, crocheting on the porch swing, or feeding local squirrels, she lived life entirely on her own terms. She was just as likely to be arranging silk flowers as she was to be racing ahead of her daughters when age put her back into a wheelchair.

Deeply faithful and fiercely protective of her family, Betty faced an incredible array of health trials over her life with unyielding optimism, humor, and a wide streak of orneriness. She loved Elvis Presley, garage sales, milk glass, and her furry child, the long-haired chihuahua, Pixie Ann.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Kenneth Ray Stepp; and her equally independent and ornery daughter, Gale Ann Strausbaugh.

She is survived by her brother, Michael Stepp; her daughters, Tammy (Victorino “Tolo” Cervantes) Warner and Tina (Judge Nicholas Sylvain) Lawson; son-in-law, Alan Strausbaugh; grandsons, Dustin (Jessica) Seyersdahl and Dylan Slayton; eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and many beloved extended family members and friends.

A Visitation will be held Monday, November 9th, from 12:00PM until the time of the funeral service at 1:00PM at the Newcomer Funeral Home Kettering Chapel, (3940 Kettering Blvd. Kettering, OH 45439). Interment will follow at David's Cemetery.

Betty loved flowers, but if you would prefer to make a donation in her memory, please consider Post-Polio Health International at post-polio.org.

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