Betty Penney's Obituary
Betty Ruth Penney, 80, of Tyler, Texas passed from this life to her home in Heaven on January 9, 2021 due to a sudden illness.
Betty is survived by daughters: Lisa Ferguson and husband, Billy, Sheri Dunlap, and Karen Cooper and husband, Gerald; stepdaughter Pam Helgeson; stepson Perry Penney; grandchildren: April Sisco, Justin Luscombe, Crisa Kirkpatrick, Aaron Luscombe, Megan Hughet, Hillary Stafford, Rachel Sharp, Rhiannon Wallen, Lori Beth Fountain, Charlotte Martin, and William Martin; sisters: Joy Cariker, Jane Harrelson, and Freida Bennett; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Betty is preceded in death by husband Charlie Ray Simmons; daughter Gina Ferguson; granddaughter Megan Holden; parents Clyde and Sudie Mae Burks; and siblings: Gayle Houghton, Robert Burks, Laverne Cooper and James Paul Burks.
Betty was married to Charlie Ray on August 8, 1959, and after Charlie’s untimely death she married David Randolph Penney aka, “Randy”, on July 12, 1997. Betty served with Randy as a pastor’s wife. Randy joined Betty in death on January 11, 2021.
Betty was born in the Patrick Community, Texas, on October 3, 1940. She enjoyed her time being raised on the farm with her siblings. She graduated high school and went on to obtain her childhood dream of becoming a RN.
After receiving her nursing degree, she went into mission work. In her own words, Betty said, “God gave me a blessing that I never dreamed possible, and that was being able to serve Him by serving others in mission work. Each time that I went I was amazed that He allowed me to be in a place that I could minister to people that needed Him so much. To go back and see the result of His Word, Jesus’ saving grace, and what a difference that it made in the lives of the people meant more than any words could express.”
Betty was a creative and artistic person. Singing, playing the piano, painting, and sewing were only a few of her many talents. She enjoyed teaching and sharing her abilities with her grandchildren.
Betty asked us to send this message to all of you: “She is with the Lord and is happy… For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, John 3:16... This means YOU, accept Christ and you will have everlasting life.”
The family will accept visitors for memorial and condolences from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday, January 29 at Rader Funeral Home in Henderson, Texas. The funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 30 at Rader Funeral Home in Henderson, Texas. The chapel service will be live streamed from the obituary page on the Rader website. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Macedonia Missionary Services Memorial Fund P.O. Box 756 Somerset, KY 42502. Mark check for memorial fund / Betty Penney.
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