Bethany Jean Craven Voyles

Bethany and ElliottBethany is my youngest daughter, who graduated from Emory University cum laude with a major in Sociology with a double minor in Women's Studies and Theology. She immediately started a position with the Department of Family's and Children's Services where she met Brian Voyles, another social work manager. She and Brian married last October. Beth changed jobs to work for a for-profit agency that assists special needs foster children, and she is now teaching special needs children in an elementary school in Dallas, Georgia.

Bethany elevated me to the status of Grandma, giving birth to my first grandschild, Elliott James Westbrook, on June 14, 2003. He is a delight and a great joy in my life. But more on him here.

I'm very proud of Elliott's mom. She's had some hurdles to leap over, and she's never flinched from the challenges. Elliott was born the summer of her junior year of college. Beth took off the summer, rejoined her class, waited tables at night and on weekends while we babysat Elliott, and managed to graduate with her class and with honors from one of the most difficult schools in the nation. She's made the best of tough decisions, and has been rewarded with a beautiful, intelligent, precoscious child (karma), a loving and caring husband, and a fulfilling career. Now, if she could find a way to start singing again, everything would be grand!

Did I mention that Bethany has the voice of an angel? She does. A clear, full-voiced alto angel. Beth sang in her high school choirs, earning a coveted position in the Women's Trio for her entire stay at Lassiter High School. She joined the Emory Chamber Choir during her freshman year of college, something that usually doesn't happen to freshmen, but decided to drop out in her third trimester carrying Elliott. Life has been something of a whirlwind since, and she's not had an opportunity to join another choir, but I keep hoping. She's so happy when she sings.