Bettie J. Jones Vincent, transitioned to her heavenly reward on Friday, July 17, 2020, surrounded by family. The second of eight children, Bettie was born on August 23, 1937, in Heidelberg, Mississippi to the late Willie Jones and the late Hazel Olevia Dale Jones. She was 12 years old when the family relocated to Erie, Pennsylvania.

After graduating from Academy High School, she attended Gannon University, Erie, PA, and Edinboro University, Edinboro, PA.  She acquired various continuing education certificates in management, human resource management, labor relations, employee relations, diversity, and public relations.

Bettie was instrumental in the development of GECAC having started her career there in 1968. She held several positions at GECAC including Executive and Deputy Executive Secretary; Office Clerical Supervisor; Office Manager; Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer; Financial Services Supervisor; and Public Relations Director.  She retired from GECAC after a 50-year career as the Vice President of Human Resources in 2018 – forty years were spent as the lead human services professional.   She developed GECAC's human resources department from infancy.   Also, during her tenure at GECAC, she managed and organized the annual GECAC Dinner and assisted in the organization of the R. B. Wiley/Walter Osborne Golf Tournament.  The tournament has raised thousands of dollars for student scholarships.

Her professional affiliations were American Management Association of America; American Personnel Association of America; and Human Resource Management Association.

Not only did Bettie have a thriving career, but her commitment to the community is quite evident in the number of organizations she served. She served as a board member of the Booker T. Washington Center; Catholic Charities; Erie County Diabetes Association; Gannondale Residential Center; HANDS Corp.; Safenet and United Way of Erie County Personnel Committee. She was also active and served in leadership roles with MET Carroll Assembly #62, Loyal Ladies - former Loyal Lady Ruler; Pharoah Court #196, Daughters of Isis – former Commandress; Sequoyah Court #39, Heroines of Jericho – former Most Ancient Matron and Orpha Chapter #21, Order of Eastern Star – former Worthy Matron.

Her hard work and dedication to the community have been recognized.   She was listed in the 2008 edition of "Talk Magazine's" Influential African-American Women in Pennsylvania; one of 12 Women Making History from the Mercy Center for Women;  Othella Myers-Johnson Community Service Award; R. Benjamin Wiley Spirit of GECAC  Award and one of three recipients of the 2019 Saint Mary's Home Ageless Erieite Award.

Bettie's spiritual journey began at an early age in Heidelberg, MS where she was a member of the Jerusalem Baptist Church.  She is a former member of Antioch Baptist Church under the late Rev. A.H. Hunter and Shiloh Baptist Church under the late Rev. Rosamond Kay. She was an active member of Victory Christian Center under the leadership of Bishop Dwane Brock, where she served as Chairman of the Board of Incorporators.

Bettie was a compassionate person whose love was felt by family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. She created a loving, welcoming home which was the centerpiece of family gatherings. One of her favorite bible verses is Luke 12:48 "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." Her greatest enjoyment was spending time and feasting with family and friends, and working. Her hobbies included cooking, gardening, sewing, reading, shopping, and traveling.

In addition to her parents, Bettie was preceded in death by her husband, Henry James "Jim" Vincent who passed in 1997; her siblings Edward Jones, Albert Lee Jones, Willie Jones Jr., and Dora B. Jones Gambill (Joe); her brothers-in-law, Alvin "Geech" Vincent (Florence); Marion (Elena) Vincent; and Artimus Vincent. She was also preceded in death by a step-son, James Wright; and four grandchildren Lawrence Vincent II; Armando Cooley Vincent; Jolishia Lewis and Jayla Lewis.

She is survived by two sisters Olivia Jones Brock (Bishop Dwane Brock) Erie, PA; Patricia Jones, Erie, PA; one brother Jimmy L. Jones (Lisa) Charlotte, NC; four sons Robert V. Vincent (Radhica); Alvin L. Vincent; Lawrence E. Vincent; and Darren J. Vincent (Jacqueline); and one daughter Angela C. Vincent; one step-daughter, Lyn Twillie-Darby (James) all of Erie, PA;  sister-in-law Melvra Simmons, New York, New York; twenty grandchildren including four of whom she reared:  Jovan, Jon, and Endia Vincent, and Tremaine Johnson; twenty-three great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; eight step great-grandchildren; a paternal great aunt, Katherine Jones Jackson, Jackson, MS; and four God-children, Veronica Gambill-Harden, Sharisse Gore Dahle, Gina Gore, and George Gore, Jr.