Betty Lynn, best know for playing Barney Fife’s girlfriend on the classic Andy Griffith Show, has passed away in Mt. Airy, NC at age 95.

She was one of only two adult primary cast members left from the show. Elinor Donahue, who played Andy’s girlfriend in the first season of the show, is the only remaining primary adult cast member left. Of course, Ron Howard as Opie is still around and a couple other lesser role adults still survive (a couple of the cast that played the Darlins are still around and some of the child actors who played Opie’s friends).

There are not many other classic TV shows that was as well done as the Andy Griffith show, especially the first five seasons. Betty Lynn added to the magic of those episodes and it is sad to see her leave us.

Thanks for the smiles and laughter, Betty.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

I didn't realize she actually lived in Mayberry! (Mt. Airy is the actual Mayberry the show's location was based on.)
A good friend of mine in high school and college decided to join the military. I took a road trip with him to visit his mom who had divorced and moved back to Mt Airy before he left for basic.

We visited her in Mt Airy, checked out the Mayberry stuff, went to Pilot Mountain (actual mountain, not a city as in the show), etc. It was a really nice area.

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I love sanding.

I seem to recall she moved to Mt. Airy sometime around 2007. She did regular visits with fans and signed autographs at the Andy Griffith museum there and really seemed to enjoy her years there. I am sure they will be missing her tremendously.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

That city was Mt. Pilot. My brother and I were on the way to the fall race at Charlotte in 1992 and I had just assumed that we'd have no problem finding a room for the night. (Nope. Every place was packed with "leaf people".) At one point we stopped into an all night Shell station in Mt. Airy to fill up. My brother went in to squirt the animals while I gassed up and as I was at the pump, a big 4x4 pulled in, covered in lights and full of locals with shotguns, cannon, harpoons, etc. I guessed that they were jacklighting deer. I finished the fill up, got back in the car, and a few seconds later my brother came out, hopped in the car, and said "Get the hell out of here!" When he came out of the restroom, every eye in the place turned and looked at him, and he didn't care for some of the looks. We cleared town and kept driving to Greensboro, where we were just about to give up and sleep in a parking lot when I found a room in a Comfort Inn. (A guy had reserved a group of 15 rooms with a credit card, then didn't show. We took one of them off of his card and got a few hours of sleep, then woke up the next day and went to the Richard Petty museum before heading to the track.

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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I was there in early December of 1984. I thought the people were really nice there. I guess it helps that I'm from a town of less than half of the ~10k population of Mt. Airy. And yes, the town name was Mt. Pilot, but the real location is Pilot Mountain. We hiked to the top. It was a beautiful view.

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I love sanding.

Yeah, we've driven past it several times, but never hiked it. Always thought it was cool, just rising out of the hills as it does. Kinda reminded me of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga the way it's suddenly just THERE.

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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I can't say much about NC. I have never been to any of the Small, hill towns, I just came back from Ohio on US 77. on the way north we stayed at a brand new Wyndham in Statesville. it is real scary in Statesville. I was worried that I would find my truck broken into in the morning. there was a sign in the lobby that said DO NOT RENT TO LOCALS, and there was price list in the room to BUY a Coffee maker, deposit for the room phone and TV remote.
Driving to the Motel I said to my self, this must be what they call the bottoms?
Four years ago I Stayed in Charlotte, Off US 77 on the same street as the Billy Gram library and the NASCAR Museum. I never witnessed so many homeless people in one place before, hundreds of people sleeping out in the open on the ground everywhere. That sure was not Mayberry.

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Neal Miller
Master Blaster NAR# 58296

Here’s the link to the announcement from the Andy Griffith Museum on Betty Lynn’s passing. She had quite the career and obviously had a very caring heart (read of her USO work during WWII while still a teen).

Link: https://m.facebook.com/andygriffith...159438346616438

Me-TV, which airs The Andy Griffith Show each weeknight at 8, is showing special episodes featuring Thelma Lou tonight as I type this message.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Pilot Mtn. reminds me of Castle Rock, Colorado, and looking REALLY green for arid Colorado (compared to North Carolina).

That’s Pikes Peak in the distance.

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Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
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Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

I've been to My Airy several times.
Met Thelma Lou onece.
She is as the Queen of My Airy.

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If it flies, I can crash it!