Betty Lou Garrett

Betty Lou Garrett passed away peacefully on August 29, 2023 at her home in Dallas, Texas. She was born November 3, 1935, on a farm near Maysville, Oklahoma, the daughter of J.W. & Ruth Mantooth. Her family later purchased land and moved to Lindsay, Oklahoma, where Betty spent her childhood on the family farm, the eldest of six children. She attended Lindsay High School and married Guy Douglas Garrett, her high school sweetheart and love of her life in June, 1954.

Betty attended the University of Oklahoma and later Southern Methodist University, where she received her B.A. in Secondary Education for English/History in 1959 and a M.A. in Guidance and Counseling in 1974.

After Guy received his Master of Theology degree from Perkins School of Theology at SMU and Betty finished her B.A., they became interested in foreign missionary work for the Methodist Church. Together, they decided to take a missionary assignment to Rangoon, Burma with the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. In 1960, with two small sons Marc, 5 years and Gregory, six months, they sailed for S.E. Asia. Due to a revolution that occurred in Burma, they were not admitted and Guy and Betty began their mission in Malaysia. The Methodist Church of Singapore and Malaysia adopted them and they remained in S.E. Asia for 17 years, adding a daughter, Allison, to the family in 1961. Alongside her husband, Betty served the church in faithful service with love and dedication that continued throughout her life.

While on sabbatical, Betty earned her graduate degree at SMU in 1974. Upon returning to Singapore, she worked as a high school counselor for the Singapore American School. When the family returned to the U.S. in 1977, Betty worked for the University of Texas at Dallas in the Office of Admissions, a fulfilling career that spanned 20 years. She specialized in international admissions and was recognized nationally for her expertise in evaluating foreign educational systems and international student credentials. With a partner, Betty formed a business, International Academic Credential Evaluators, Inc., to evaluate foreign job applications, and enjoyed this work for many years after retiring from UTD. She and Guy enjoyed world travel the rest of their lives.

Betty was beloved by family and friends, at home and abroad. She was a courageous, brave, devoted, generous person, living her life helping others through missionary service and education. We will miss her sweet smile and her kind and loving heart. She is survived by her son Paul Gregory and wife, Ann; her daughter Allison and husband, Tom Howes; daughter-in-law, Cathy Garrett; and by her grandchildren Karen, Mathew, John, Nick, Christopher, Lisa and Sarah; and by great grandchildren Craig, Shane, Tre and Victoria. She is also survived by her brothers Jim and wife, Robbie Mantooth, Mike and wife, Pat Mantooth; her sisters Jo Ellen and husband, John Howard, Marilyn and husband, Chuck Miller; her brother-in-law Jim Garrett and wife, Janet; and sisters-in-law, Avis Garrett and Norma Garrett. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 65 years, Guy Garrett; her loving son Marc; her sister Linda Thornton and husband, Ron; her brothers-in-law, Bill Garrett and Dick Garrett.

A Celebration of Life service for Betty will be held Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 10:30am at Spring Valley United Methodist Church, 7700 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, Texas 75254. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Spring Valley United Methodist Church. The service will be live streamed at www.svumc.org.