Betty Valentine Waggoner's Obituary
Obituary – Betty Valentine Waggoner, June 22, 2008
Funeral services for Betty Valentine Waggoner, 97, formerly of Longview, will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at the Alpine Church of Christ, 610 E. Loop 281, Longview Family visitation will be from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Wednesday, at Rader Funeral Home, 1617 Judson Rd., Longview, TX. Interment will be in Memory Park Cemetery following the service.
Betty was born on February 14, 1911, in Tatum, TX to Dilly Adams Jones and Gilchrist Shaw Jones. She is preceded in death by her husband, Seymour Waggoner; sister, Clara Reed and husband, Douglas Reed; brothers, George Jones and Berry Jones sister-in-law Berdine Jones; and son-in-law John Heft. Also, by seven brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law, on the Waggoner side.
She is survived by her children, Jessica Heft of Richardson; John and wife Diann of Cisco, TX; and Bill and wife Dee of Renner, S. Dakota. Her grandchildren are Ann Heft Dean Kenny and Scott Heft Virjinia of Richardson; Shannon Stevens Ben of Forney; Damon Waggoner of Las Vegas, N.M.; and Nathan, Joel, David and Jonmichael of Renner, S. Dakota. Great-grandchildren are Melissa Dean of Dallas and Adam Dean of College Station; Aaron, Mykolas and Andris Heft of Richardson; and Summer, Sydney and Sawyer Stevens of Forney.
Betty grew up in Longview. Her mother died in the flu epidemic of 1918. Judge and Mrs. Jessie Bramblett raised her and Clara as their own daughters. Betty graduated from Longview High School and attended the College of Marshall TX and a college in Ft. Worth for a year. She married Seymour Waggoner, December 24, 1932. They had been married 69 years when Seymour died in June of 2002. Betty worked outside the home before she married. An excellent typist, she worked for a title company occasionally when her children were older.
She was a member of the Alpine Church of Christ Glover and Alpine and 2nd & Whaley St. before that for all of her married life. The wife of an elder for 42 years, she was the soul of hospitality…a good cook-- and an excellent seamstress, as well. She was a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother and cherished friend of many. She enjoyed memberships in garden and study clubs and supported her children, always, in school and other activities. Her graciousness, sweet smile and loving, serving spirit will be remembered by all.
She spent her final years in Richardson, mainly in a residential home, where she received loving care by Mrs. John Sarah Kapten, Priscilla and Terri and others, as well as the special people at Odyssey Hospice. Thank you for your loving care of our mother.
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