Robinson, Betty Jo
ROBINSON, Betty Jo
Betty Jo Robinson, 75, daughter of John Wesley Isom and Mamie Emily Maddox Isom, passed September 14, 2020. Unfortunately, her father was killed when she was three months old. Her mother later remarried becoming Mamie E. Collins. Betty Jo was a Class of 1962 graduate of H. M. Turner High School. She was the first Black person to integrate the City of Atlanta Police Department in a clerical position in 1962. She was the first Black person to hold secretarial position on Atlanta's first televised Atlanta Police Complaint Review Board in 1965 under Police Chief Herbert T. Jenkins. She was also the first Black person to hold the position of clerk, and court cashier for the Atlanta City Jail 1967 – 1968. In July 1968, she was the fourth Black person hired by Southern Railway Company as a clerical typist in the Data Input Department. Carrying over into the residential community, Betty Jo was the first Black person in her Decatur neighborhood where she purchased a home. Following a merger, it became Norfolk Southern Railroad and she continued to work there for 32.5 years in customer service until retirement in the year 2000.
Following in her mother and aunt Juanita Burton's footsteps, she was the pianist/organist for several churches. She was the founder and director of the first "Gospel" choir at Turner Monumental A.M.E. in 1962 under the pastorate of the late Dr. Christopher Columbus Hughes. The choir was named "CC Hughes Gospel Chorus." While Director of the Youth Department, she orchestrated the first community-church youth activity in the Kirkwood area with a four-city block road race. As a member of Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, she was the President of the Temple-Lite Gospel Choir from 1987-1990. From 1994 until her transition, she was a dedicated member of Cross Culture Church, formerly Abundant Life Church of Lithonia, GA, under the pastorate of Pastor Woodrow Walker, II.
Her big bright beautiful smile, warm hugs, unwavering love, and wisdom nuggets touched the lives of many! She met no strangers. She is survived by her sister and brother Mary Ann Isom and Bobby Collins. Sister in love Veronica Collins. Her children Damita Jo Upshaw, Eldrin Bell, Jr. (Cocchiara) and Emily Heath (Alfred). Her other daughter Tracye Bryant. Daughter in love Santa Rivera. Her grandchildren LaCresha McDaniel (Jason), Christopher Upshaw, Taylor Upshaw, and Nicholas Upshaw. Great-grandchildren Arianna Hinton and Trevon Rowe and her great-great grandson Landon Alexander Rowe. A host of nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren by marriage, those she's Mom, Momma, Mama Betty, and those who call her friend.
