Betty Ree Walls was born March 24, 1954 to Mr. Price Stevenson, Jr. and Ms. Doris Lee Kelley. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Robert Earl Kelley, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
She attended schools in the Texarkana area being Carver & Booker T. Washington. She was in the first class to be integrated into Arkansas Senior High School where she graduated from with a Merit Diploma in 1972.
She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at College Hill Missionary Baptist Church under the Pastorage of the late W. M. Davis, where she sang in various choirs. Betty also served as the finance secretary for a number of of years under Rev. Johnny Pack IV. Whenever there was a musical and uniforms or dress needed sewed, Ms. Betty was “The One” who had a great majority of them to sew along with her own daughters uniforms or dresses. Sewing was a gift and a passion of hers as well as fixing hair. She passed her talent on to her oldest daughter by starting out with teaching Tara how to put a jheri curl on Betty’s hair step by step at the age of 8 and Tara’s passion for hair care stemmed from her mother having passed along her skills learned from taking cosmetology classes in high school.
Betty attended Texarkana Community College and received a Business Degree in Accounting. For many years she worked in tax preparation, Arkansas Notary, and worked with all forms of legal paperwork including preparing divorce papers.
Betty’s work experiences included; Frank’s SteakHouse, Day Care, Jones Funeral Home (for many years, where she was secretary, beautician & makeup under the direction of the late John Jay Jones, Jr.), Universal Life Insurance, Mother Kelley’s Home Cooking (The Family Restaurant named after her grandmother, Ms. Gertrude Kelley)
Betty was so lovingly called by many, later united with the Anioch Baptist Church where she was a great part of the choir ministry (Tenor section and song leader), until her health began to fail. She fought a good fight. She finished the course and remained faitherful throughout her entire earthly journey.
On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, God called Betty home to rest at 4:44pm from her time and work here on earth so that she can forever lift her voice in the Heavenly Angelic Choir. There is a crown of virtue that is paid up for her in Heaven that the Lord of righteousness shall place upon her head. This crown is there for all who love Him and who look forward to His coming again.
Mother Betty Walls leaves a lifetime of good memories and love. Her daughters: Minister Tara Daniels and Mrs. Kakesha Burris. Her Son: Mr. Kelcey Owens. Her grandson, Erick Burris II. Her granddaughters: Ashanti Burris and Amari Love all of Texarkana, Arkansas. Her Sisters: Ms. Debra Banks of Texarkana, Arkansas and Mrs. Mrs. Shelia (Charles) Sutton of Texarkana, Texas. Her Best Friend: Evangelist Erma Britt of ElDorado, Arkansas. Close Friends: Mr. Charles Nutt of Texarkana, Arkansas. A host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and Arkansas High School Class of 1972.
Special thanks to Dr. J. Fleshman and Nurse Kathy at Baylor, Downtown Dallas, Texas, Amedysis Home Health Care and Nurses Megan #1 and #2.
Visitation April 2, 2024 at Jones Stuart Mortuary from 3:00-5:00pm, Services Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 11:00am at Antioch Baptist Church New Boston, Texas, with Rev. Sedaric Dinkins, Eulogist.
