Bettie Carroll Elwood, age 95, died peacefully in her sleep on February 27, 2026, at her home in Etowah, Tennessee.

An Etowah native, Bettie dedicated her life to Godly service. Serving for the Presbyterian Church (USA) for 30 years in the Philippines and Taiwan alongside her husband, Rev. Douglas J. Elwood. They retired to Etowah in 1991 and rejoined the First Presbyterian Church, where she had been a member since age 12. She continued her life of service after retirement with the nonprofit organization she started, Little Children of the World, Inc.

She was married to Douglas J. Elwood, an ordained Presbyterian minister and member of the Presbytery of East Tennessee. They raised four children: Brian Elwood of Etowah, TN; Colleen Elwood of Orlando, FL; Philip Elwood of Orlando, FL; and Christopher Elwood of Santa Barbara, CA. Bettie is also survived by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Bettie graduated from Central High School in Knoxville in 1948. She earned a B.A. in Sociology from Maryville College (1956), an M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University (1966), and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of the Philippines (1979). She also completed graduate work in Community Service Education at Cornell University (1971–72).

Her professional journey included working as a civilian for the U.S. occupation forces in Salzburg, Austria; serving as an assistant professor of Psychology at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Philippines; and transitioning to full-time work with street children. She founded the Peace Shelter for homeless children and was a co-founder of Little Children of the World (headquartered in Etowah, TN) and its affiliate, Little Children of the Philippines. She served as president and CEO of Little Children of the World International until 2009 and continued leading its U.S. branch, including the Camp Etowah program, as long as her health permitted.

In McMinn County, Bettie was a founding member of the Anti-Drug Coalition Aiding Teens (MADCAT) in 2006, serving as its director from 2006 to 2010 and later honored as Founding Director Emeritus.

In 2010, the National Association of Professional Women named her Woman of the Year.

Bettie’s life was marked by deep faith, tireless service to vulnerable children, and enduring commitment to her family, community, and global mission work. She will be remembered for her compassion, leadership, and unwavering dedication to helping others.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to her favorite charity, Little Children of the World, Inc. at http://www.littlechildren.org

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 7th in the chapel of Bordwine Funeral Home. Interment will follow in McMinn Memory Gardens.

The family will receive friends, Friday, March 6th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.