BETTY LYNN

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  Betty Lynn, the actress best known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou, Barney Fife’s sweetheart on The Andy Griffith Show, died peacefully on Saturday, October 16, 2021 after a brief illness. She was 95.

  A private burial service occurred in Culver City, CA. A memorial service was held during Mayberry Days at the Historic Earle Theatre on Friday, September 23, 2022.

  Donations in Betty’s memory are still being accepted for the Betty Lynn Scholarship Endowment (for students pursuing a career in dance or acting) or the Barbara and Emmett Forrest Endowment Fund (for the Andy Griffith Museum and Mayberry Days). Payment can be sent to either in care of Surry Arts Council, P.O. Box 141, Mount Airy, NC 27030. Donation in Betty's memory may also be made to Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church, 1208 N Main Street, Mount Airy NC 27030, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

  The Andy Griffith Museum is grateful for Betty's many appearances at the museum and Mayberry Days®. Please visit the Photo Galleries page for many good memories of those visits over the years.

  Becoming Thelma Lou—My Journey to Hollywood, Mayberry and Beyond (BearManor Media, 324 pages), was published posthumously, on August 29, 2022, the 96th birth anniversary of actress Betty Lynn, who died in Surry County, N.C., on October 16, 2021. The book is available for $40 in the Andy Griffith Museum gift shop.  Betty Lynn will forever be Thelma Lou to us but as readers will discover in Becoming Thelma Lou, there is much more to learn and love about this truly extraordinary woman. Enjoy her incredible journey!