Betty Lucille (Mills) Currier

Betty Lucille Mills Currier passed peacefully into the arms of our Lord and surely into a glorious reunion with a whole host of family and friends on Friday, January 15. She was 97. Betty was born at home on December 12, 1923, the second child of Samuel David Mills and Zonie “Myrtle” McDaniel in Friendship, Texas, a small farming community that is now at the bottom of Granger Lake. She attended Granger High School and Brackenridge Hospital School of Nursing, graduating as a R.N. in 1946. She became the night nursing supervisor of the OB/nursery ward at King’s Daughter Hospital in Temple, TX. While visiting friends back in Austin, she met her handsome soldier and true love of her life, Vernon Arthur Currier, while cruising Congress Avenue. Two years and many letters later, they were married at Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin on August 15, 1948. They moved to Madison, Wisconsin while Vern finished his degree and then returned to Austin for the remainder of their lives. They had celebrated an incredible 71 years together until Vern’s passing in 2019.

Their union was blessed with four children, even while Betty continued to work as a night private duty nurse at Seton Hospital. In the late 1960’s, she accepted a position in the offices of Drs. Cato, Craven, and Holt as a beloved pediatric nurse. She retired in 1985 when their nine grandchildren, and traveling in their RVs with her sister, Imola and her husband Logan, became her priorities. She also volunteered at the Lutheran Bethesda Thrift Shop for several years and unselfishly gave her time at her church.

She had a talent for entertaining, setting a perfect table, and making sure everything was picture-perfect with just the right touches. A kinder, more generous soul could not be found. Flashing her signature smile that would make everyone welcome and feel at home, she was always trying to make things easier for whomever. Vern would say she would have given away everything they had, if he had just let her. She loved traveling, luncheons with her friends, and her pet dogs Beanie and Lucy. Her favorite pastimes were crocheting, cross-stitching, baking, sewing, playing bridge, dominos, 66, dancing, and working jigsaw puzzles. She also had a ‘green thumb’ with plants. But most of all, she was unquestionably devoted to her family. As a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, she was always there when needed, anxious to lend a helping hand and fix whatever needed fixing, offering hugs that could melt troubles away. She was her family’s ‘biggest fan’, immensely proud of their accomplishments, and unconditionally devoted to each member.

Betty is preceded in death by her husband, Vern; her parents Sam and Myrtle; her siblings, Dorothy, Downey, and Imola; her sister-in-law, Wilma; brother-in-law, Norman; and granddaughter, Charlotte as well as, a host of friends and other family members. She is survived by sons Gary (Gwen), Steven (Suzzanna), and Allen (Carolyn) and daughter Cynthia (Jack) Williams; grandchildren Adam (Melissa), Ashley (Eric), Jennifer, Nicholas, Christopher, Byron, Hilary (Sam), and Rebecca (Zachary); great grandchildren Olivia, Adele, Isaac, Zachary, Audrey, Elliott, Hope, Anna, Ethan, Haven, and Arthur; and sister-in-law, Helen.

Pallbearers will be Adam Currier, Nicholas Currier, Byron Williams, Sam Netherland, and Zachary Graves; with honorary pallbearers Christopher Currier, and Eric O’Neill.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, January 22 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar Blvd. Funeral services will be at 11a.m. on Saturday, January 23 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1207 W. 45th Street with private graveside service at Cook-Walden/ Capital Parks immediately following.

Masks and social distancing are required.