Bette Nell Perry

Memorial services for Bette Nell Sheppard Perry, 67, are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at First Presbyterian Church in Tyler with the Rev. Stuart Baskin presiding under direction of Tyler Memorial Funeral Home.

A reception for family and friends immediately will follow in the church's Fellowship Hall.

Mrs. Perry peacefully went home to her Lord on April 20, 2016, surrounded by her family.

Bette was born January 1, 1949, in Mexia, Texas to Harold Bell Sheppard and Dorothy Wells Sheppard. Her family relocated throughout the country frequently in her childhood before settling in Plano, where she graduated with honors from Plano High School in 1967.

She began her five-decade business career immediately after graduation, including positions at Collins Radio Co. in Richardson, Armstrong Realty of Henderson, the Granbury (Texas) Police Department, and RPR Construction of Tyler, where she joined the start-up company's staff as its original office manager in 1983. Mrs. Perry moved into the IT industry in the early 1990s, serving as vice president of Tyler's Southwest Professional Services and project manager for Mysis Systems, finishing out her career as senior project manager for Qwest Diagnostics, Inc., before retiring in 2013.

In late 1967, a case of mistaken identity would lead to finding the love of her life. A handsome stranger she initially thought to be an acquaintance was Ronald Ray Perry of Tyler, and the two married just months later on March 1, 1968. Their modest wedding began a 48-year adventure together across the nation, through Mr. Perry's military service and into Louisville, Ky., Plano, Henderson, Granbury, Mt. Vernon, Colorado, Santa Fe, N.M., and four times to Tyler, where the couple raised their three sons and finally settled permanently in 2007.

Both avid outdoorsmen, she and her husband started Explorer Post 349 together in 1988, leading five treks to Philmont Scout Ranch - all with coed crews, including one of the first combined male-female contingents in the ranch's history in 1989. They ran 349 together until 1993, impacting the lives of dozens of young people under the sponsorship of their church home First Presbyterian of Tyler.

Bette is survived by her loving family including her husband of 48 years; her brothers and sister-in-law, Gene Slaughter of Kaufman and Bob and Nedda Sheppard of Troup; sisters Ginger Taylor of Mexia and Kathy Ellison of Seminole, Okla.; her beloved sons and daughters-in-law, Mike and Janna Perry of Jacksonville, Fla.; Tim and Brenda Perry of Humble; and Jon Perry of Tyler; her grandchildren, Rowan and Grayson Perry; brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Nelda Perry of Lake Palestine; numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters-in-law Sandra Perry and Nanette Slaughter, and brothers-in-law Harold Ellison and Ron Taylor.

Honorary pallbearers for Saturday's memorial are nieces and nephews Bonita Doyle, Shara Hughes, Chris Perry, Donna Perry, David Sheppard, Jennifer Sheppard, Gena Slaughter and Bill Taylor.

The family wishes to extend its special thanks to Dr. Frank Ward and the dedicated staff of Texas Oncology-Tyler; Becky Western; Jennifer Sheppard; and the Rev. David Schaefers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Perry's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; the First Presbyterian Church; the Tyler Museum of Art; or the charity of your choice.