An icon in Manatee County agriculture and Florida 4-H Club, Betty Glassburn dies at 78
Betty Glassburn, 78, a beloved longtime advocate for children, the 4-H Club and Manatee County agriculture, died at hospice in Sun City on April 14 after a long illness.
Although she never sought accolades, she was named Manatee County Agriculturist of the Year in 2007 and was the Manatee County Fair’s Distinguished Citizen in 2012.
“Betty has never blown her own horn. You ask her to do something and you don’t worry about it. It’ll be done,” a friend, Lucas Earle, said in 2007, when Glassburn was inducted into the Manatee County Agricultural Hall of Fame.
She was honored that year for helping shape future generations of farmers in Manatee County, and for helping educate the public on the importance of agriculture.
“Miss Betty has touched the lives of thousands of youth in a positive and effective manner,” Will Waters, professor emeritus at the University of Florida, said in 2007.
Glassburn was also known for her folksy sense of humor.
After she was named Manatee County’s Distinguished Citizen in 2012, she called it the happiest year of her life.
“Having my children was a happy time, but this was happiness without changing diapers,” Glassburn said.
Glassburn founded the Mighty 4-H’ers of Duette, was a member of the 4-H Foundation for 42 years, founded the Florida State 4-H Leaders Forum in 1982, received the 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award in 1983 and was inducted into the Florida 4-H Hall of Fame in 2002.
She was a director of the Manatee County Agricultural Museum, a master gardener, founder of Manatee County’s Farm City Week program and longtime staff member at the Manatee County Extension Office.
She helped start the Duette Volunteer Fire Department, and served two terms on the Manatee River Soil and Water Conservation District.
Glassburn was a fifth-generation member of the Keen family of Duette. She was born in Duette on Feb. 8, 1945, on the Keentown homestead which was established in 1882. She lived there all her life.
She was a lifelong member of Dry Prairie Baptist Church where she founded the “Golden Oldies” seniors’ group.
Glassburn founded the Duette Community Association and spearheaded the move to preserve Duette’s one-room school building by having it listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1930 as a “strawberry school,” Duette offered farm children a way to learn reading, writing and arithmetic, while allowing them to help their families during harvest season.
Glassburn also helped start the Duette Volunteer Fire Department in 1983. She served on the Manatee River Soil and Conservation district for six years.
A 1963 graduate of Palmetto High School, Glassburn worked as a bus driver for Manatee County Schools and was also employed by the Institute for Food and Agricultural Services (IFAS).
She is predeceased by her parents John and Gladys Keen, sister Gertrude Capo and brothers Jack and Silas (Carolyn) Keen.
She is survived by her brother Bill Keen (Maxine) of Sebring, her children, Gene Glassburn (Jennifer) of Duette, Connie Chauncey (Rusty) of Bell Buckle, Tenn., Tammy Hardesty (Chuck) of Quitman, Ga., grandchildren Leigha Featherstone, Joey and Mitchell Chauncey, Dustin and Dannie Glassburn, great-grandchildren Sueann and Maddie Featherstone, Lorelai and Elliott Chauncey and Aaron Glassburn.
Groover Funeral Home in Palmetto handled arrangements. The funeral service was April 18.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Betty Glassburn Legacy 4-H Scholarship, 1303 17th St. W, Palmetto, FL 34221 or the Duette Community Association, 6865 Keentown Road, Duette, FL 34219.
