Betty Jane Wilson was born July 2, 1932 in Dallas, Texas. She was the only child of Ivan F. and Cora May Heckathorn. She passed away on August 5, 2024, with her family by her side, in Tyler, Texas.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 1:00 pm, at Payne Springs United Methodist Church, 9667 State Highway 198, in Payne Springs, Texas.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jerrold Douglas Wilson, and her daughter, Lynnda Jane Ellison. She is survived by her daughter Sheryl Louise Hazelwood and her husband Raymond Hazelwood of Tyler; and Susan Elaine Brown and her husband Ronnie Brown of Austin; her son-in-law Harrold Ellison of McKinney; and her son William Douglas Wilson and his wife Gina Wilson of Dallas, Texas. She had eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and innumerable friends all around the world.

Betty was a fun-loving, giving and compassionate wife, mother and friend to all. She attracted a broad range of friends with her open home and welcoming smile. She gave her time, talents and energy to many different organizations throughout her lifetime.

The purchase of a 16-foot sailboat, a Rebel, in the early 1960’s led to lifelong friendships within the fleet and the Corinthian Sailing Club in Dallas, Texas. She crewed with Jerry on White Rock Lake, and went to many regattas around the country with friends from the fleet, each with their boats in tow. Occasionally, the fleet would trailer their boats to Cedar Creek lake to sail at the prestigious Pandemonium Point Yacht Club, the Wilson family lake house.

Pandemonium Point was a small point of land owned by Betty and Jerry and two of his cousins, Bill Wilson and Ernestine Green. The families built several houses over the years and held many parties, reunions and several weddings. It was a wonderful refuge where kids and dogs could roam free-range, swimming, sailing and hunting the elusive Snipe. Group projects were undertaken and rewarded by abundant meals cooked by Betty, her daughters and friends with beer biscuits and deserts taking center stage.

She was introduced to the domino game ‘42’ by her in-laws in West Texas when she went there as Jerry’s fiancée. It has been the favorite household game for all the generations since. Her home held many family tournaments and her style of play took a noticeably more vicious turn after years of playing with her neighbors, Clyde and Judy Harvell.

Like her mother befor her, ‘Grandma Betty’ had dozens and dozens of kids who knew her love and gentle guidance. She worked with the teen court in Henderson County. She put her energy into Vacation Bible School and after-school tutoring programs at Payne Springs United Methodist Church. There were several occasions when Betty opened her home for those kids who needed a place and had no where else to go.

She played the piano and organ for Sunday services at her church and willingly gave her time to organizing activities there. She was not an ‘only on Sundays’ kind of Christian. She was well read on a wide range of religious topics and frequently wrote of her own beliefs as well. She pursued the Christian faith vigorously, spreading her vision of the Christian way of life by her boundless love and everyday discipleship.

After Jerry retired, they quickly moved to Pandemonium Point and began building a home suitable for retirement living. Shortly after completion, Jerry began his struggle against cancer. The family supported them both until Jerry passed away in November of 1998.

A very short time later Betty took off to see the world. She joined her cousin, Mary Ferris on a mission trip to Romania. She tagged along on a friend’s choir trip to Europe. At age 68 she bought a 24-foot motorhome, named it ‘Betty’s Beast’, and set out to see the country. She drove to Florida, South Carolina, Maine and lots of destinations visiting old friends and making new ones. She had a long list of co-pilots and companions including Jerry’s sister and brother, her children and her reasonably obedient sidekick, Duchess. She kept an ongoing log of her travels in ‘Betty’s Beast’. It has her musings on the beauty of nature, events of the day and questions surrounding her faith.

Betty had the remarkable ability to keep track of friends along the way. She frequently wrote letters and communicated with friends dating back to her days in elementary school and Rainbow Girls. She had exquisite handwriting as beautiful and flowing as her piano playing. Each letter she wrote was beautiful to read for the message as well as the artistic nature of the script.

Betty read something that became her motto in life, ‘I don’t want to leave a good looking corpse. I want to slide sideways into the grave all used up.’ That is how she lived her life right through to the end. It is a safe bet she will do the same in the next life.

Bon Voyage Betty Wilson.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the following charities:

Bethany Chapel Ministries (Prison ministry)
P. O. Box 992
Plainview, Tx 79703

NOROC (Romanian orphans ministry)
200 Hedges
Abilene, Texas 79605

Payne Springs United Methodist Church
9667 SH-198
Mabank, Texas 75156

Ethnos 360 (specifically Marianne and Grant Bayfield in the Philippines)
312 W. First St
Sanford, Florida 32771
Code MI, #20027