Betty R. Roark, age 93, of Huntington, Texas passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2022. Betty Ruth Perkins was born at home, in Brown County, a child of the depression, #7 of 9 children born to Will and Lottie Perkins. Her grandfather was a primitive Baptist preacher. Her mother died when Betty was 8 years old and 2 younger brothers were 5 & 3, so she took on mothering chores at a young age. Growing up, she was a tomboy, feisty, she could whip most of the boys her age. She and 2-3 of her siblings rode to Indian Creek Elementary on Spot, the children's pinto horse. Her father and older siblings kept the family together, each contributing to the upkeep of the home and supporting each other emotionally and physically. She told of having to ride the perimeter of their land checking to make sure there were no breaks in the fence. Her father's land was bought by the government and Camp Bowie was established there for training young men in preparation for WWII. Her father supported the family on what was left to him of his farm and in addition he built poultry barns, raised chickens, and constructed several small 2 room cabins near the army base to rent to GI's wives and sweethearts. Her father was known as "the Duke of Brown County", harvesting 900 bushels of sweet potatoes on 3 acres during a time of rationing and empty shelves. Betty had many memories of family gatherings on their front porch with the GI's, their sweethearts and her extended family singing songs and telling stories. Betty was only 5'3" tall, but she was the tallest of her sisters and she always had to take the lead when they danced together, a habit she carried throughout her life. She didn't have many memories of being in trouble with her father except once when she failed to latch the chicken house and the horses got into the pen and made a big mess.
Betty wasn't quite 19 years old when her sister , Louise, and fiancé brought a young man home for her to meet, from Howard Payne College in nearby Brownwood. James O. Roark was 25 and Betty was 19 when they married in June of 1947. Jim was attending college & subsisting on funds from the GI Bill. They had a single room in the married students dorm with a shared bath down the hall. She used to cook their meals on a hot plate and their stacked suitcases served as a table. While Jim was in classes, Betty would listen to baseball games, she learned the game, and kept scores and particulars about the games so she could tell Jim all about it after classes. Jim & Betty had 2 especially good friends, the Jolleys and the Johnsons, also in the married dorm and they share meals and helped the men get through the curriculum. They liked fishing and card games and dominoes and baseball. These friendships were enduring with visiting back and forth in the summers throughout the years.
Jim and Betty were baptized and joined the Baptist Church early in their marriage. Betty said that Jim was ready to profess his faith long before she was, but he was waiting for her. Proverbs 31 summed up : She doesn't mind working, she spends wisely, she is a woman of ability, runs the household well and keeps house day and night. She is generous. She is wise and kind in advice and admonitions. She read her Bible daily and was always prepared for discussion of her Sunday School lesson. Her teacher once said "does anyone except Betty have an answer or a comment to make?" That hurt her feelings.
Betty always wanted to be mother and her prayers were granted with the birth of her daughter, Carol Sue in 1951, then in 1953 with Nancy, in 1955 with Steve and (a surprise) in 1962 with James (Jimmy). She stayed busy in the home and provided 3 squares for her brood and the extras that showed up routinely throughout the years. Although Betty was an excellent cook , she did not teach either of her daughters to cook. She did not write down her recipes and said that she adjusted the amount of ingredients according to taste. Her yard was the one where neighborhood children congregated for kickball, tag, red rover, star light-star bright I hope to see a ghost tonight, and hide and seek. Her one rule was that we didn't run over her gardenia bushes. She enjoyed working the NY Times crossword puzzle and the cryptograms in the paper every evening and she was always reading a book, her favorites were histories and biographies. Jim was active in city politics and served as deacon in the church and as little league baseball coach throughout both son's eligibility years, none of which could be accomplished without support and help from Betty. The couple played bridge and bowled on a league together. They were crazy sports fans, everything Texas! After Jim retired, they traveled to different states to attend baseball games where the Texas Rangers were playing and in the spring they rented a condo in Florida so they could watch the Rangers in spring training. Jim and Betty were married for 54 years before Jim died unexpectedly of heart disease. Betty was able to remain in her home with support and help from her son, Steve, her best friend after the death of her husband. She taught her children to love and honor the Lord and they heard her prayers for them all their lives. She always kept track of her brothers and sisters and their families on the phone or through letters when they were no longer able to gather together physically. She is survived by her children (Carol & Charles Scott, Nancy Bumpas, Steve Roark, Jim & Dianne Roark) grandchildren ( Jamie & Rick Huckabee, Jeff & Christy Scott, Kelly & Jakob Knudsen) and great-grandchildren ( Stella Huckabee, Ashlynn Scott, Luka Knudsen, Olivia Knudsen) and one sister, Louise Lynch.
Betty wasn't quite 19 years old when her sister , Louise, and fiancé brought a young man home for her to meet, from Howard Payne College in nearby Brownwood. James O. Roark was 25 and Betty was 19 when they married in June of 1947. Jim was attending college & subsisting on funds from the GI Bill. They had a single room in the married students dorm with a shared bath down the hall. She used to cook their meals on a hot plate and their stacked suitcases served as a table. While Jim was in classes, Betty would listen to baseball games, she learned the game, and kept scores and particulars about the games so she could tell Jim all about it after classes. Jim & Betty had 2 especially good friends, the Jolleys and the Johnsons, also in the married dorm and they share meals and helped the men get through the curriculum. They liked fishing and card games and dominoes and baseball. These friendships were enduring with visiting back and forth in the summers throughout the years.
Jim and Betty were baptized and joined the Baptist Church early in their marriage. Betty said that Jim was ready to profess his faith long before she was, but he was waiting for her. Proverbs 31 summed up : She doesn't mind working, she spends wisely, she is a woman of ability, runs the household well and keeps house day and night. She is generous. She is wise and kind in advice and admonitions. She read her Bible daily and was always prepared for discussion of her Sunday School lesson. Her teacher once said "does anyone except Betty have an answer or a comment to make?" That hurt her feelings.
Betty always wanted to be mother and her prayers were granted with the birth of her daughter, Carol Sue in 1951, then in 1953 with Nancy, in 1955 with Steve and (a surprise) in 1962 with James (Jimmy). She stayed busy in the home and provided 3 squares for her brood and the extras that showed up routinely throughout the years. Although Betty was an excellent cook , she did not teach either of her daughters to cook. She did not write down her recipes and said that she adjusted the amount of ingredients according to taste. Her yard was the one where neighborhood children congregated for kickball, tag, red rover, star light-star bright I hope to see a ghost tonight, and hide and seek. Her one rule was that we didn't run over her gardenia bushes. She enjoyed working the NY Times crossword puzzle and the cryptograms in the paper every evening and she was always reading a book, her favorites were histories and biographies. Jim was active in city politics and served as deacon in the church and as little league baseball coach throughout both son's eligibility years, none of which could be accomplished without support and help from Betty. The couple played bridge and bowled on a league together. They were crazy sports fans, everything Texas! After Jim retired, they traveled to different states to attend baseball games where the Texas Rangers were playing and in the spring they rented a condo in Florida so they could watch the Rangers in spring training. Jim and Betty were married for 54 years before Jim died unexpectedly of heart disease. Betty was able to remain in her home with support and help from her son, Steve, her best friend after the death of her husband. She taught her children to love and honor the Lord and they heard her prayers for them all their lives. She always kept track of her brothers and sisters and their families on the phone or through letters when they were no longer able to gather together physically. She is survived by her children (Carol & Charles Scott, Nancy Bumpas, Steve Roark, Jim & Dianne Roark) grandchildren ( Jamie & Rick Huckabee, Jeff & Christy Scott, Kelly & Jakob Knudsen) and great-grandchildren ( Stella Huckabee, Ashlynn Scott, Luka Knudsen, Olivia Knudsen) and one sister, Louise Lynch.
Betty R. Roark, age 93, of Huntington, Texas passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2022. Betty Ruth Perkins was born at home, in Brown County, a child of the depression, #7 of 9 children born to Will and Lottie Perkins. Her grandfather was a primitive Baptist preacher. Her mother died when Betty was 8 years old and 2 younger brothers were 5 & 3, so she took on mothering chores at a young age. Growing up, she was a tomboy, feisty, she could whip most of the boys her age. She and 2-3 of her siblings rode to Indian Creek Elementary on Spot, the children's pinto horse. Her father and older siblings kept the family together, each contributing to the upkeep of the home and supporting each other emotionally and physically. She told of having to ride the perimeter of their land checking to make sure there were no breaks in the fence. Her father's land was bought by the government and Camp Bowie was established there for training young men in preparation for WWII. Her father supported the family on what was left to him of his farm and in addition he built poultry barns, raised chickens, and constructed several small 2 room cabins near the army base to rent to GI's wives and sweethearts. Her father was known as "the Duke of Brown County", harvesting 900 bushels of sweet potatoes on 3 acres during a time of rationing and empty shelves. Betty had many memories of family gatherings on their front porch with the GI's, their sweethearts and her extended family singing songs and telling stories. Betty was only 5'3" tall, but she was the tallest of her sisters and she always had to take the lead when they danced together, a habit she carried throughout her life. She didn't have many memories of being in trouble with her father except once when she failed to latch the chicken house and the horses got into the pen and made a big mess.
Betty wasn't quite 19 years old when her sister , Louise, and fiancé brought a young man home for her to meet, from Howard Payne College in nearby Brownwood. James O. Roark was 25 and Betty was 19 when they married in June of 1947. Jim was attending college & subsisting on funds from the GI Bill. They had a single room in the married students dorm with a shared bath down the hall. She used to cook their meals on a hot plate and their stacked suitcases served as a table. While Jim was in classes, Betty would listen to baseball games, she learned the game, and kept scores and particulars about the games so she could tell Jim all about it after classes. Jim & Betty had 2 especially good friends, the Jolleys and the Johnsons, also in the married dorm and they share meals and helped the men get through the curriculum. They liked fishing and card games and dominoes and baseball. These friendships were enduring with visiting back and forth in the summers throughout the years.
Jim and Betty were baptized and joined the Baptist Church early in their marriage. Betty said that Jim was ready to profess his faith long before she was, but he was waiting for her. Proverbs 31 summed up : She doesn't mind working, she spends wisely, she is a woman of ability, runs the household well and keeps house day and night. She is generous. She is wise and kind in advice and admonitions. She read her Bible daily and was always prepared for discussion of her Sunday School lesson. Her teacher once said "does anyone except Betty have an answer or a comment to make?" That hurt her feelings.
Betty always wanted to be mother and her prayers were granted with the birth of her daughter, Carol Sue in 1951, then in 1953 with Nancy, in 1955 with Steve and (a surprise) in 1962 with James (Jimmy). She stayed busy in the home and provided 3 squares for her brood and the extras that showed up routinely throughout the years. Although Betty was an excellent cook , she did not teach either of her daughters to cook. She did not write down her recipes and said that she adjusted the amount of ingredients according to taste. Her yard was the one where neighborhood children congregated for kickball, tag, red rover, star light-star bright I hope to see a ghost tonight, and hide and seek. Her one rule was that we didn't run over her gardenia bushes. She enjoyed working the NY Times crossword puzzle and the cryptograms in the paper every evening and she was always reading a book, her favorites were histories and biographies. Jim was active in city politics and served as deacon in the church and as little league baseball coach throughout both son's eligibility years, none of which could be accomplished without support and help from Betty. The couple played bridge and bowled on a league together. They were crazy sports fans, everything Texas! After Jim retired, they traveled to different states to attend baseball games where the Texas Rangers were playing and in the spring they rented a condo in Florida so they could watch the Rangers in spring training. Jim and Betty were married for 54 years before Jim died unexpectedly of heart disease. Betty was able to remain in her home with support and help from her son, Steve, her best friend after the death of her husband. She taught her children to love and honor the Lord and they heard her prayers for them all their lives. She always kept track of her brothers and sisters and their families on the phone or through letters when they were no longer able to gather together physically. She is survived by her children (Carol & Charles Scott, Nancy Bumpas, Steve Roark, Jim & Dianne Roark) grandchildren ( Jamie & Rick Huckabee, Jeff & Christy Scott, Kelly & Jakob Knudsen) and great-grandchildren ( Stella Huckabee, Ashlynn Scott, Luka Knudsen, Olivia Knudsen) and one sister, Louise Lynch.
Betty wasn't quite 19 years old when her sister , Louise, and fiancé brought a young man home for her to meet, from Howard Payne College in nearby Brownwood. James O. Roark was 25 and Betty was 19 when they married in June of 1947. Jim was attending college & subsisting on funds from the GI Bill. They had a single room in the married students dorm with a shared bath down the hall. She used to cook their meals on a hot plate and their stacked suitcases served as a table. While Jim was in classes, Betty would listen to baseball games, she learned the game, and kept scores and particulars about the games so she could tell Jim all about it after classes. Jim & Betty had 2 especially good friends, the Jolleys and the Johnsons, also in the married dorm and they share meals and helped the men get through the curriculum. They liked fishing and card games and dominoes and baseball. These friendships were enduring with visiting back and forth in the summers throughout the years.
Jim and Betty were baptized and joined the Baptist Church early in their marriage. Betty said that Jim was ready to profess his faith long before she was, but he was waiting for her. Proverbs 31 summed up : She doesn't mind working, she spends wisely, she is a woman of ability, runs the household well and keeps house day and night. She is generous. She is wise and kind in advice and admonitions. She read her Bible daily and was always prepared for discussion of her Sunday School lesson. Her teacher once said "does anyone except Betty have an answer or a comment to make?" That hurt her feelings.
Betty always wanted to be mother and her prayers were granted with the birth of her daughter, Carol Sue in 1951, then in 1953 with Nancy, in 1955 with Steve and (a surprise) in 1962 with James (Jimmy). She stayed busy in the home and provided 3 squares for her brood and the extras that showed up routinely throughout the years. Although Betty was an excellent cook , she did not teach either of her daughters to cook. She did not write down her recipes and said that she adjusted the amount of ingredients according to taste. Her yard was the one where neighborhood children congregated for kickball, tag, red rover, star light-star bright I hope to see a ghost tonight, and hide and seek. Her one rule was that we didn't run over her gardenia bushes. She enjoyed working the NY Times crossword puzzle and the cryptograms in the paper every evening and she was always reading a book, her favorites were histories and biographies. Jim was active in city politics and served as deacon in the church and as little league baseball coach throughout both son's eligibility years, none of which could be accomplished without support and help from Betty. The couple played bridge and bowled on a league together. They were crazy sports fans, everything Texas! After Jim retired, they traveled to different states to attend baseball games where the Texas Rangers were playing and in the spring they rented a condo in Florida so they could watch the Rangers in spring training. Jim and Betty were married for 54 years before Jim died unexpectedly of heart disease. Betty was able to remain in her home with support and help from her son, Steve, her best friend after the death of her husband. She taught her children to love and honor the Lord and they heard her prayers for them all their lives. She always kept track of her brothers and sisters and their families on the phone or through letters when they were no longer able to gather together physically. She is survived by her children (Carol & Charles Scott, Nancy Bumpas, Steve Roark, Jim & Dianne Roark) grandchildren ( Jamie & Rick Huckabee, Jeff & Christy Scott, Kelly & Jakob Knudsen) and great-grandchildren ( Stella Huckabee, Ashlynn Scott, Luka Knudsen, Olivia Knudsen) and one sister, Louise Lynch.
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