Bettie Barnes Schilling

Bettie Barnes Schilling, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on March 1, 2026, at the age of 86. Born on October 25, 1939, in Sumter, South Carolina, Bettie lived a life marked by kindness, generosity, and a deep spirit of hospitality.

Bettie spent many years working in the legal profession as a dedicated paralegal. During her early years in Augusta, Georgia, she worked at Hull, Towill, Norman & Barrett, where she had the pleasure of working alongside the late Robert Norman Sr. After relocating to the Atlanta area, she continued her career at Hawkins, Parnell & Young until her retirement. There she worked closely with the late H. Lane Young, whom she affectionately considered a “son.”

Outside of her professional life, Bettie found joy in entertaining, cooking, and being an active part of her church and neighborhood communities. While living in Conyers, Georgia, she attended Conyers First United Methodist Church and was a devoted member of her neighborhood garden club. After returning to the Augusta area in retirement, she attended St. Johns United Methodist Church and enjoyed the Party of the Month Club dinners with friends. Bettie especially loved hosting guests during Masters Week each year—opening her home, her kitchen, and her heart. Anyone who walked through her door for the first time left feeling like family by the end of the day, always well fed and warmly welcomed.

Bettie is survived by her husband, Frank Schilling; her son Joel M. Barnes (Kristie); granddaughters Anna Barnes and Kaitlyn Barnes; great‑grandson Landon; and her daughter Sheila Shehorn (Rusty); granddaughter Anya Diaf and grandson Nevin Shehorn. She is also survived by her sister Lucy Kaufman of Crossville, Tennessee, and her closest friend of many years Sue Avery of Savannah, Georgia, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Bettie was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Michael S. Barnes; her parents, Mildred B. Garrington and George Fleetwood Garrington of Sumter, South Carolina; and by her brother Dr. George Everett Garrington (Doris) of Gainesville, Florida.

A celebration of Bettie’s life will be held on May 22, 2026, at the Westover Memorial Park Mausoleum in Augusta, Georgia, at 10:30 a.m. Friends and family are invited to attend and share memories of a woman whose warmth and generosity touched so many.

Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com