Bettie Jean Lunsford

Bettie Jean Clymer Lunsford, an educator for over 40 years, died peacefully on May 14, 2014 at the Amarillo Craig Retirement Center after a six year battle with Alzheimers. Bettie was born in Okemah, OK. January 17, 1940 to William (Bill) and Clarice Clymer. She attended school at Lincoln Elementary, Noble and Okemah High School where she was active in many school and community activities. Bettie graduated with honors from OHS in 1958 and entered East Central State College with an academic scholarship at Ada, Oklahoma. She transferred to Oklahoma State University her Senior year and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. Her first teaching job was at Ponca City, OK while she continued to pursue her Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling at OSU. Bettie then took a position as Elementary Principal in White Lake SD. From there, she moved to Mitchell, SD to become Assistant Dean of Women at Dakota Wesleyan University. After a short time, she was named as Dean of Women at DWU. While living in Mitchell, she met and married William Soward (1966). After several years they decided to relocate to Amarillo where she took a teaching position at Ridgecrest Elementary. Bettie then became Elementary Principal at Claude, TX, leaving there to join the Region 16 staff to assist in developing the Gifted and Talented Progam still in use today. Her first husband passed away in 1979. Two years later she married her High School and College Sweetheart (Fred Lunsford) who also spent his career as an educator/administrator. Bettie received numerous awards and honors for her outstanding work as an educator, administrator and counselor. She was a lifetime member of the Okemah High School and Oklahoma State University Alumni Associations. She was a member of the South Georgia Baptist Church and very involved in civic activities prior to her illness. Both Bettie and Fred retired and moved to Robson Retirement Ranch near Denton, TX to be closer to Fred’s kids and the two special grandkids (Abby and Emma) who were Bettie’s pride and joy. Bettie and Fred were married 25 years before his passing in November 2010. Following Fred’s death, she moved back to Amarillo where she lived with her brother, Bill and his wife Dorismae Clymer prior to entering the Craig Alzheimers unit. Bettie was preceded in death by her parents, William (Bill) Clymer and Clarice Clymer Smith of Okemah; her stepdad Woodie Smith of Okemah; two brothers, Jacky Alfred Clymer (died as infant) and Bobby Ross Clymer of Collinsville, OK.; her first husband, William Soward, Mitchell, SD and her second husband, Fred Allen Lunsford. She is survived by her stepson Dan Lunsford, Frost, TX; stepdaughter Andrea Allen and her husband Clint from Atlanta, TX, her two very special granddaughters Abby and Emma Allen. Her brother Bill Clymer and Dorismae of Amarillo; one nephew, Ricky Gene Clymer his wife Elena and daughter Mia of Green Oaks, IL; three nieces: Toi Clymer of Tulsa, OK, Cynthia Rae Vara and her husband Alex of Garden City, TX and their daughters Shyla Mae Curry of Albuquerque, NM; Kristin Wester and her husband Stephen of Lubbock; Tonya Lewis and her husband Vance, and Hank, Tate and Faith from Red River, NM. A Memorial Service will be held for Bettie at Cox Funeral Home in Amarillo on Tuesday May 20 at 2:00 pm. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the Parks Brothers Funeral Home Chapel in Okemah with interment to follow at the Highland Cemetery. The family requests that donations be made to the Okemah High School Alumni Scholarship Fund (P.O. Box 724, Okemah, OK 74859) in Bettie’s memory. Services will be under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home, Okemah with Charlie Cox officiating.

Bettie Jean Lunsford

January 17, 1940 - May 14, 2014