Queen Ester Toliver Betts, 90, of Palatka, entered the sunset of life on Sunday, June 27, 2010 at Putnam Community Medical Center following a brief illness. The daughter of Henry & Doddie (Moore) Toliver, Queen was born on Monday, October 13, 1919 in Dallas County, Alabama. She resided there until 1957 when she relocated to Palatka. She was a retired longtime employee of Palatkas Talley Box Company on Madison Street. She was an entrepreneur, owner and operator of Paradise Inn in East Palatka and later a caf in the northside business district. She was a former member of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church where she sang in the Adult Choir and served in the Deaconess Ministry before she joined Bethany Seventh Day Adventist Church where she served as an honorary Deaconess. Ms. Queen was an avid reader of the Bible. Shopping and spending time with her family were among her favorite pastimes. She loved the Lord more than anything.

In addition to her parents, Queen was preceded in eternal rest by her husband, Eugene Betts, Sr., son and daughter-in-law, Henry (Harriett) Williams; daughters, Julia Mae Coleman, Carolyn Sutton, Grace Brown and Diane Williams; grandson, LaRon Sutton; brother, Percy Moore; sister, Laura Butler.

To cherish her memories: Son, Freddie L. Sutton, Sr., two stepsons, Eugene (Virda Mae) Betts, Jr. and Michael (Lisa) Grant, all of Palatka; Step-Daughter, Linda (Johnny) Jones, Palatka; 18 grandchildren, Freddie Sutton, Jr., Antoine Sutton, Tameka Sutton, Sherral (Johnny) Perry, KaRon Sutton, Charles Sutton, Deon Sutton, Fredarian Sutton, Leon (Mary) Brown, Kenny (Shawn) Brown, Barbara Brown Word, Linda Brown, Lorenzo Brown, Kayo Brown, Erica (Sylvester) Brinson, Dwayne T. Williams, Keturah (Kurstan) Middlebrook, and Lashon Grant; 37 great-grandchildren; and a host of great-great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation of family and friends will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday (Today) July 1 at the Chapel of Serenity. Celebration of Life will be 11 a.m. Friday, July 2 at Bethany Seventh Day Adventist, 1001 North 19th Street, Palatka, Elder Ricardo Daphnis, Pastor. Elder Willie James Irvin, pastor of First Coast International Seventh Day Adventist Church, Jacksonville, is the eulogist.

Interment will be in Oak Hill West Cemetery.

The cortege will assemble at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the familys residence, 115 Shadowlawn Street, Palatka.