Dr. Betty Louie (Bett) Sanders, aged 76, passed away on December 5th, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina after a short illness. Known for her generosity, clear-eyed wisdom, and warm laugh, Bett was a loving mother and aunt; an insightful psychologist; a gifted creative in all her endeavors; and a beloved friend and neighbor.

Born June 20th, 1948, Bett grew up in the small town of Four Oaks, North Carolina, the second of two children born to Hugh and Molly. She was the valedictorian of her high school class, known for sewing her own formal dresses and dominating on the basketball court. One of her childhood friends said that, even at an early age, “her hand was always extended for others to grab for support.” After graduating from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970, she traveled across Europe, explored the open road on her motorcycle, and attended the Fashion Institute of New York.

Her professional trajectory took shape when she graduated with honors from Georgia State University in 1979 with a PhD in Clinical Psychology. The same year, she moved to Asheville and worked at Highland Hospital before opening a private practice with her husband at the time, Charles Cummings, a fellow psychologist and Georgia State graduate.

In Bett's 46-year career, she helped hundreds of people transform their challenging experiences and painful emotions into more spacious lives centered on love and meaning. Her patients were comforted by her compassionate and attentive presence, and guided by her kind and direct observations. As one patient put it, “Bett seemed to be able to look inside me, find an answer, and gently lead me to it.” In addition to her practice, she ran a successful media company with Charles Cummings for several years called Audio Outings. Born from her young daughter’s restless nights, Bett and Charles created the two-part audiocassette series, Imagine Yourself To Sleep. With her expertise in hypnosis, Bett integrated relaxation techniques into soothing bedtime stories that garnered rave reviews in Entertainment Weekly and the LA Times.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Bett was a talented gardener, a naturally great singer, dabbled with the saxophone and loved all things French.

Most of all, Bett was a loving and supportive mother and Grantie (great aunt). A champion of her daughter’s education and professional pursuits, she gamely traveled around the world to visit her daughter in Vietnam, Tunisia, Italy, France, and Germany.

She will be remembered by her family for her sense of humor, finding joy in others’ happiness, her playfully mischievous streak, and her enormous capacity to care about people experiencing injustice anywhere in the world. Bett is survived by her daughter Kate Cummings; her nephew and niece Cyrus and Celia Parsifal; and her great-nieces Beatrice and Stella.

A Memorial Service to honor Bett's life will be held on Saturday, March 8th, 2024 at 2pm at Haiku, located at 26 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bett’s name to BeLoved Asheville's Hurricane Helene Response.