Betty Jo Moon

Betty Jo Moon (Mills) of Lubbock shook off this mortal coil and ventured into the great beyond where she is now reunited with her beloved Marvin (November 17th). She was the middle child of Cloud and Byrtle Mills of Booker, Texas.

Betty enjoyed music and theatre, from church choir to plays/ musical productions, she did it all. Many can recall her singing along with her favorite musicals on the HiFi (this is where her sons got their love of showtunes). A lifelong educator and mentor she took special delight in being recognized by her former pupils. Betty received her Bachelors of Education at West Texas State University in Canyon. There she was very involved in The Branding Iron Theater where she received many accolades for her performances.

After college she married Shirley Hayden Curtis and they had Betty’s first son, Steven. Unfortunately that relationship did not last and they later divorced. Betty took this very hard and she and Steven moved back to the panhandle where she began her teaching career at Pampa and then White Deer.

It was about this time that one of Betty’s college classmates, Marvin Lee Moon, came back into her life. She was quite gun-shy and it took more than a bit of time for her to acquiesce and try dating again. Eventually Marvin won her over and they married. This became an unshakable coupling that lasted over sixty years. Along with the newly adopted Steven they became a family unit. A few years later they welcomed their second son, Greg.

At this point in time Marvin was working in the civil service for the Air Force base as an illustrator in Amarillo. Despite also taking on freelance work they were still living from paycheck to paycheck. Then they decided (as two thirty-some year olds with two kids) to embark on a seven year odyssey to get Marvin his Masters and PhD in Art Education so he could teach at the University level. Most folks thought they were crazy to leave a government job and undertake such a long term goal. They both knew this would provide more financial stability for the family. During this time Betty became the primary bread winner for the family as Marvin completed his education. This took them from New Mexico Highlands to California to Penn State. During these years they saw every historical and cultural site they could get to…significantly enriching the lives of their children and themselves.

After completion of this monumental task they moved to Lubbock and Texas Tech University where Marvin was teaching in the Art Department. Now came Betty’s time to pursue her post graduate degree. She also chose Art Education as her field and she earned her Masters Degree while teaching full time in the Municipal School system. She found her own visual arts interest in the fiber arts. She then became active in the Texas Art Education Association, serving as Secretary for the organization.

Above all else Betty tried to live a life of faith and service to others. Living as an example isn’t always easy, but the easy way was never her way. She was very active in the Trinity Church and did her best to help through volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Eventually she had to leave these tasks to others and concentrate on her own household. This led to her infamous Saturday morning "Coffee Clutch” which provided a respite for herself and a circle of friends who attended.

Upon the demise of her husband Betty’s life became that of many widows…waiting for the day they would rejoin with their soulmates on the other side. She still did her bit, but things were definitely slowing. Now she is at peace and those of us left behind are as well.

Betty is survived by her two sons, Steven of Lubbock and Greg (Vanessa) of Taos, grandson William of Fort Worth, along with many loved nieces and nephews.

The family would like to especially thank Christina Lozado for her unwavering support. We would also like to thank Joy Wiles, Denise Ellis, and Anjeanette Franklin for their friendship and many hours of company. We will miss their presence as well.