Betty Jane Alexander

Betty Jane Alexander was born in Tyler, Texas on August 14, 1927 to Betty Jane Miller (Williams) and Benny Brown. She grew up in Tyler, graduated from Emmett Scott High School in Tyler as Salutatorian, and was awarded a scholarship to Butler College, a coeducational black college in Tyler. Betty went on to college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where she met dear friends and had the opportunity to have training for her gifted singing voice. Betty returned to Texas in the early 1950s and settled in Midland, Texas to help her mother operate a family business and there she met and married Thomas W. Walker, Sr. To this union their son Thomas W. Walker, Jr. was born.

Betty moved to Los Angeles, California for further opportunities in the early 1960s where she raised Thomas while working as a waitress and then as a receptionist at a notable insurance company. Betty has known the Lord as her Savior from an early age; however, it was while she lived in Los Angeles that she attended Crenshaw Christian Center in the 1970s and there her faith was nourished and grew exponentially. Her life centered around working hard to raise her son and care for her mother who also lived with them at times. She enjoyed attending Thomas’ sporting events and being the loudest supporter in the stands. After Thomas joined the Air Force and was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas, Betty returned to Texas in 1982 to be close to Thomas and family.

Betty soon took a job with the Texas Employment Commission (now known as Texas Workforce Commission) where she quickly learned new skills and made new friends along the way. When her second granddaughter was born, Betty left that job and moved in with Thomas and his wife Monica to help take care of her grandchildren. During these years, Betty and family attended Word of Truth Christian Fellowship, House of the Lord Fellowship Church, and Banah Christian Fellowship before finally settling at Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church Austin (now known as GT Austin), where they worshipped for nearly 20 years. Betty was active in each church leading food and clothing ministries, teaching about the holiness and sanctity of communion, and the power of intercessory prayer. While at Glad Tidings Church, Betty sang in the choir, lead the prayer chain, and read stories in children’s church as well as actively participated in adult Sunday school and small group home fellowships. Betty also had deep love and immense pride for her three granddaughters and two great-grandsons and had a lasting influence in their lives.

Betty decided to move to Lubbock, Texas in 2012 after nearly 30 years in Austin. She initially attended Christian Life Assembly of God Church in Lubbock; however, the Lord soon lead her to Glad Tidings Church in Lubbock. Although not affiliated with the Glad Tidings Church in Austin, it proved to be an equally blessed experience of serving as a prayer warrior and Bible study giant. Her passion for serving the Lord through prayer and ministry was contagious and she was eager to help others grow stronger in their faith. Betty also made many friends who enjoyed spending time with her and taking her on periodic shopping trips to stock up on water, health foods, and snickers candy. She was also always ready to lend an understanding ear and word of encouragement, along with strict admonishments when needed. All of which were greatly appreciated and cherished by the recipients.

Betty remained active throughout her nine years in Lubbock, until shelter-in-place restrictions kept her at home in March 2020. It was at that time that her health began to slowly decline and then she determined that it would be best to return to the Austin area to be near her family. Not knowing the full extent of the recent changes in her health, a series of events led to an unexpected diagnosis and that accelerated her transition from Lubbock to Round Rock, Texas at the end of July 2020.

Betty and family had the opportunity to spend just over a month together, and the Lord blessed that time to include her 93rd birthday on Friday, August 14, 2020. She had a wonderful time hearing from many, many friends and loved ones on her birthday. Then the Lord was ready for His servant to come up higher to be with Him on the Sunday after her birthday, but not before she and her son and daughter-in-law were able to take communion together that morning.

Betty is preceded in death by her mother, Betty Jane Williams; her aunt, Ollie Davis; and her close cousin, Lena Sheffield. Betty is survived by her son Thomas W. Walker, Jr. (Monica); granddaughters Monique Ray (Kevin), Michelle Bradshaw (Chris), and Mariah Walker; and great grandsons Daeveon Bradshaw and William Traylor.

Betty also leaves behind cherished long-time friends Anna Fuller (Las Vegas, NV), James and Monica Saffold (Germany), Emilio and Thelma Lerma (Buda, TX), Vilma Garrett (Richmond, CA), and Aron Ledbetter (Winstom-Salem, NC) as well as her beloved Lubbock church family lead by Pastor Jared and Jessica Baker, including Michael and Vickie Byrne, Brandy Bass, Jessica Adams, and Richard and Josie Hernandez; Rey and Betsy Villarreal, George and Virginia Cardenas, and countless other dear friends in Lubbock and Austin.