Betty was born December 10, 1946, in Montebello, CA to V.R. “Arkie” Wallin and Audra Wilson Wallin. She was the middle child of three girls. In the early 1950s, the family moved to Tulsa, OK where Arkie opened a Fina gas station and Audra managed the home. Betty enjoyed a typical 50’s childhood and attended Hoover Elementary and Whitney Junior High Schools. She attended Nathan Hale High School where she made many friends, hanging out at Boots Drive-In and cruising the streets of Tulsa. She graduated from Hale in 1965.
She enrolled at Oklahoma State University where she earned Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Speech and Language Pathology. President Richard Nixon delivered the address at her Master’s commencement ceremony.
After marriage and the birth of their first child Michealle in 1968, she moved to Galveston, TX. In 1975, they welcomed their son Chris into the world. Betty loved living in Galveston and continued to raise Michealle and Chris following her divorce.
Betty was a dedicated early childhood speech pathologist and specialized in early intervention for children from birth to three years old. While in Galveston, she worked for Island Elementary and the Early Childhood Learning Center. After relocating to the Dallas area, she worked for Irving ISD and LaunchAbility, retiring from there in 2010. Over the years, Betty’s work positively affected the lives of countless kids.
Betty loved baseball and softball, especially if it involved her grandkids. She was an avid reader and often read her books into the early morning hours. She loved her Dr. Pepper, crossword puzzles and game shows. She was devoted to her dogs, particularly Okie and most recently Lacie. More than anything, spending time with her family was the most important thing to her. She adored her grandchildren and loved being “grandma.”
Betty was independent, smart and resilient, having overcome several health issues over the past few years. She always bounced back determined to beat whatever challenge she faced.
She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Patty Presley of Tulsa, OK and brother-in-law Sam Childers of Tulsa. She is remembered by daughter Michealle Brown and husband Greg of Las Vegas, NV; son Chris and wife Betty of Little Elm, TX; grandson Ryan Brown of Salt Lake City, UT; granddaughter Megan Brown of Las Vegas; grandson Hudson Pamplin of Broken Arrow, OK; grandson James Pamplin of Little Elm; Bryce Orihuela of Castle Hills, TX; sister Connie Childers of Tulsa; brother-in-law Tom Presley of Ft. Wayne, IN and several nieces and nephews who loved her very much.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.TedDickeyFuneral.com for the family.
Arrangements by Ted Dickey Funeral Home.
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