Betty Lou Henry

Betty Lou “Betty Rose” (Ray) Henry, 87, of Odessa, TX passed away peacefully in her home shortly after 7:00 PM on May 20, 2014 after a lengthy battle with Leukemia. Her final days were spent surrounded by family and the many friends Betty had touched throughout her memorable life. Betty was born December 31, 1926, in Breckenridge, Texas, to Counts and Bess Ray. She graduated from Breckenridge High School and attended Briarcliff College in Briarcliff, New York. She graduated from MP Professional School in New York City. Betty married J.W. “Shot Gun” Henry on December 25, 1946 and lived in Breckenridge, TX until moving to Odessa, TX in 1956 where they owned and operated the Coors beer distributorship, D.K.T. Co., until 1979. They were married 49 year when he passed away in 1995. Betty will be especially remembered for her compassion toward others, her spirit of adventure and for her legendary hospitality. Betty was well known in the Permian Basin area for planning and organizing many large charity events and fundraising efforts for worthy causes benefiting needy families and organizations such as the Girls and Boys clubs of Odessa and the Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center. Betty was a life-long member of the St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Breckenridge and she served on the Permian Basin Rehabilitation center Board of Directors. Always looking for adventure, Betty was a licensed pilot and few planes for over fifty years. She raced in pylon and transcontinental events and also flew mercy flights for injured and burn patients. She parachuted for the first time at the age of 52 and said it was one of her biggest thrills. She was an avid white water rafter and organized several trips to many of the largest rapids in the western United States. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, J.W. “Shot Gun” Henry, her parents Counts and Bess Ray, and her brother, Jack Ray of Houston. Betty is survived by her three children, Cathryn Lou Carrell, Carolyn Lee Hogue and James Counts Henry all of Odessa; three grandchildren, Jason Counts Andrews of Plano, TX, LeeAnn Rose (Hogue) Mayfield and her husband James of College Station, TX, and Lynsey Reneé Hogue of Odessa, TX; and six great grandchildren, James Everett Mayfield Jr., Shayla Rose Mayfield, Calli Lou Hogue, Levi Randall Mayfield, Wade Tharan Mayfield, and Waylon Lane Mayfield. She is also survived by her dear niece, Dana Henry, who accompanied Betty on many rafting adventures and Paula Holguin, who was beloved and respected for her fifty plus years of dedicated service to the family. Additionally she is survived by nephews, Rory Ray of Granbury, TX, David and Don Henry of Odessa and two other nephews and two nieces. She was also very fond of an extended family of step grandchildren, Donna (Hogue) Madrid, Lori (Hogue) Lowery, Bob Hogue and Herman Hogue. Betty’s wishes were to be remembered with good cheer, fond memories and good company and the family would like to invite her friends to a memorial celebration of her life on June 14th from 5-7PM at the Towne Place Suites, 4412 Tanglewood, Odessa TX. Graveside services at the Breckenridge cemetery are pending.

Tributes

Betty Lou Henry

December 31, 1926 - May 20, 2014