Betty Robbins

Betty J. Robbins passed away peacefully at Midland Memorial Hospital, January 3, 2014 following a brief illness. She was born to Alton L. Payne and Laura B. Payne in Memphis, Tennessee on September 17, 1932. She grew up in rural Franklin Parish, Louisiana at Warsaw Landing on the Bayou Macon and graduated from Crowville High School receiving the American Legion Award. As a youth she was active in FFA and raised beef calves for show in state shows. One was the state reserve champion at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport, Louisiana. She also took several calves to the national show at Chicago, Illinois. Upon graduation from high school she attended Louisiana State University where she met and married L. D. Robbins and raised three children while living in Jackson, Mississippi; Mariana, Florida; Lubbock, Texas; West Germany; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Midland, Texas; Houston, Texas; Findlay, Ohio, and settled in Midland again in 1976. She received a BA degree in Art at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, was a member of First Methodist Midland and loved shopping for fine things and apparel. She loved raising and working with horses with her beloved daughter, Audrey and traveling to Midland College and UTPB college rodeo team events where Audrey competed as a barrel racer. She worked with her business, Robbins Investment Inc. until near the end.

As a beloved mother she is survived by her son Robert S. Robbins, his wife Christina and his two daughters Bethany Pettit and Kristin Robbins, daughter Dr. Laura J. Robbins-West, and her husband David and son Michael of Chateaugay, New York; daughter Audrey L. Robbins of Midland; and sister Beverly McMichael and husband Jim of Longview, Texas; sister-in-law Betty J. Powell of Shreveport; and her two sons Michael A. Powell and James D. Powell of Houston; and their families and her former husband and lifelong partner L. D. Robbins. Honorary pallbearers are James Rogers, Buddy Redden, Steve Castle and Woody Gregory.

The family would like to express heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all friends for their support and help and Kathy Whiteside, Tony and Ester Hernandez and Tori Napividad for all the things they did for Betty. Also grateful appreciation for the care by Midland Memorial, Health South and Mannor Park. Chapel service will be 1:30pm Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at Ellis Funeral Chapel. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park.Services are entrusted to Ellis Funeral Home.