Betty Tidwell Turcotte

Passed from this earth on Sunday, October 8th surrounded by her family. Betty was born Betty Lou Tidwell on January 22, 1936 in a small farming community near Forest Louisiana where she lived happily with her siblings L.G., Glynn and Riley until Riley’s premature death from pneumonia. Her early years were spent with farm work and her education up to the time she left for college at Louisiana Tech University.

At Louisiana Tech she met her first husband, V.P. “Buddy” Hearon and from that marriage were born three children; Hal, John and Stacey. Buddy found his calling in the seismic survey industry, which set Betty and the kids on a whirl wind string of moves from Australia to Singapore to Ecuador through the formative years of the children. Managing the household and children with relocations every few years was a tough task but Betty always watched out for the interests and well-being of her children.

After her first marriage ended and a number of years on her own Betty was lucky enough to meet the 2nd love of her life, Patrick Turcotte and they married in 1977. Pat was a rancher from one of the storied families of South Texas and a petroleum engineer for Marathon Oil. Betty’s farming background fit right in with ranch life and she felt just as comfortable in her fine clothing and jewelry as a pair of blue jeans and cowgirl boots.

Betty was an educator. After graduating from Louisiana Tech with some final hours at Centenary College she taught school in Shreveport Louisiana before heading overseas in the ‘60s. Upon her return in 1973 she completed her Masters work at the University of Houston and returned to teaching in both HISD and Fort Bend ISD. When combined, her teaching career spanned 36 years.

Betty was preceded in death by her son, John Hearon; husband, Patrick Turcotte; sister, Glynn Calahan; brother, L.G. Tidwell, sister-in-law, Mary Helen Tidwell. Surviving family includes her son Hal Hearon; daughter-in-law Sherry Hearon; daughter Stacey Beall; son-in-law Gary Beall; grandchildren, Andrea Hearon, Paul Hearon, Carter Beall, Luke Beall and Caroline Beall, as well as, brother-in-law Claude Calahan and a host of beloved nephews, nieces and extended family.

Services will be held at Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, in Sugar Land, TX at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 14th with a reception to follow. Please enter the main sanctuary on the west side (Back) of the facility. Graveside services will be held at Forest Park Westheimer cemetery at 3:00 PM but will be limited to family members only. (Addresses follow) In lieu of flowers the family asks that you donate to Samaritan’s Purse or an accredited Harvey relief organization.