Betty Jean Fleming

Betty Jean (Richards) Fleming went to her heavenly rest on Jan. 15th, 2010, at age 80, after a long and very courageous struggle with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Visitation with the family is 6 to 8 pm on Tues., Jan, 18th at Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home in Wichita Falls, with services in the Hampton-Vaughan Chapel at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 19th., with Reverend Dean Libby officiating. Betty will be laid to rest next to Sam, her beloved husband of 52 years, at Bowman Community Cemetery, just outside of Wichita Falls. Pallbearers will be her son, Robert Fleming; her sons-in-law, Kim Monson and Michael Ashby; and her grandsons, Christopher Towery, Austin Monson, and Mathew Ashby. Honorary Pallbearers are Portia Monson and Elizabeth Ashby.

Betty was born in Pampa, Texas, on March 1st, 1930, to Raymond Pascal Richards and Madge Ophelia (Munroe) Richards Savage. She attended Arlington Heights High School and Draughan’s Business College in Fort Worth, Texas. She married Samule Alexander Fleming on Sept. 7, 1951, in Fort Worth, Texas, and the happy couple left almost immediately for Fairbanks, Alaska, where both worked for the Civil Service for three years. After returning to Fort Worth for a few years, they moved to Wichita Falls. Sam was a Civil Service Instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base, and Betty was his rock. They celebrated their anniversary every single month for 52 years, until Sam’s death on September 12, 2003. Betty was a devoted mother, wife, and homemaker, always thinking of others. She was her children’s first Sunday school teacher, her son’s first Cub Scout Den Mother, a volunteer computer teacher at St. Paul Lutheran School, a Super Tutor in the Wichita Falls Adult Literacy Council, an artist and sculptor, and a very nice person. As a girl, Betty enjoyed playing softball and basketball, and spending time with her beloved siblings James, Billy, and Anna.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Sam; brother, Commander Billy Bob Savage; brother-in law Daniel (Burnett) Fleming; great-granddaughter, Lillian May Towery; and many dear friends.

She is survived by daughters Sandy (Kim) Monson and Vickie (Michael) Ashby, son Bob (Elaine) Fleming, grandchildren Christopher Towery, Austin Monson, Portia Monson, Mathew Ashby, and Elizabeth Ashby, step-grandchildren Sean Ashby and Gwynne Ashby, and great-grandson Cody Ray Towery. Betty is also survived by brother, Dr. James (Mary) Savage; sister, Anna Valentine Horton; her sister-in-law Imogene (Clent) Kniffen and many dear nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors.

The family wishes to thank all the caring staff at Lakeridge Place, Senior Health Care Center and Hospice of Wichita Falls.