Betty Pepper Scarborough, nee Betty Ray Pepper, died unexpectedly at home in Starkville, MS at the age of 79.
Betty was born on May 29th, 1935 in Pearl River County, MS to Herman Pepper and Mamie Jane Ray Pepper. She graduated cum laude from Mississippi State College for Women, now Mississippi University for Women, in 1957 with a degree in Mathematics and Chemistry, and then received her Masters degree from Tulane University in 1959. She married Charles Thomas Scarborough, Jr. in 1959, having met in graduate school at Tulane University. After moving to Starkville, Betty began working for Mississippi State University as an Instructor in Mathematics. She retired in 2013 as a tenured Assistant Professor at the age of 77, having taught at MSU for 38 years. Upon retirement, she was awarded Professor Emeritus status at MSU.
Betty was passionate about teaching math, and during her career at MSU, she taught thousands of undergraduate and graduate students. For many years, she was also an instructor for the Image Program at MSU, a summer program to prepare high performing minority students for college. She loved playing piano, sewing, reading mystery books, and attending MSU sporting events as a season ticket holder with her children.
She is survived by her husband; her daughter and son-in-law Jane and Kris Turnbull; her son and daughter-in-law Charles and Leigh Scarborough; and six grandchildren, William, Matthew, Laura, Christine, Lawson, and Brooks; and by her sister Jane Carol Pepper Kees.
A visitation will take place at McDonald Funeral Home in Picayune on February 18th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. followed by a graveside service at New Palestine Cemetery. A Starkville visitation will be held at Welch Funeral Home on February 20th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mrs. Scarborough’s life. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
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