Betty Lancaster

Betty Pearl (Ussery) Lancaster was born January 9, 1934 in Denison, Texas. She passed peacefully from this life into the hands of her loving and merciful God from her son Jerry’s home in Waco, Texas on September 14, 2022 in the loving care of her family.

Betty was born to Jack and Lola Margaret (Perkins) Ussery of Denison where she spent her early childhood, moving to Fort Worth with her mother & stepfather Don Morter for junior high, then to Azle, TX for high school. There she met Elbert Lancaster, and they married on Christmas Eve of 1950.

They remained in Azle for their first married years where all their children were born. After living two years in Southern California, the family settled in Marble Falls, TX in 1963. There Elbert and Betty owned and operated Lancaster Minnows for fourteen years.

In 1977, they moved to nearby Granite Shoals, where Betty and Elbert were both active volunteers in EMS for some years. With her children grown, Betty returned to school to earn a BA from Southwest Texas State in San Marcos. During this season she also worked for the Lower Colorado River Authority at Wirtz Dam on Lake LBJ.

After Elbert’s sudden passing in 1994, Betty eventually moved back to Denison to care for her aging stepmother, Grace Ussery. After Grace passed, Betty moved in 2006 to Waco to be near her large family.

Betty was a devoted wife, mother, sister & friend. She & Elbert were active Southern Baptists—first at Ash Creek Baptist Church in Azle, then First Baptist of Marble Falls for 35 years. At both churches they served their church family faithfully. Betty taught Sunday School, was active in choir & missions, and served as a deacon’s wife. Later she served new roles as a member of Parkside Baptist in Denison then Chalk Bluff Baptist in Waco.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, husband Elbert Lancaster, sons Terry Lancaster and infant twins Larry & Gary Lancaster, as well as brothers Charles & Donnie Morter.

She is survived by her son Jerry Lancaster & wife Karen of Waco, daughter Marjorie Serrano & husband John of Mesquite, TX; grandsons Philip Lancaster & wife Rachel of Waco, Dan Lancaster & wife Amanda of Waco, Joel Lancaster & wife Crissa of Nickelsville, Virginia, granddaughter Lauren Leas of Sebring, Florida; twenty-two great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

Betty was deeply loved by her family and many friends, and will be dearly missed. We are grateful for and rejoice in her faith. She poured the love & knowledge of Christ into all of us by word and deed.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Wednesday, September 21, at Clements-Wilcox funeral home in Marble Falls with burial immediately after in the Marble Falls Cemetery.

A luncheon reception for family and friends will be held at noon the following day, Thursday, September 22, in Waco, at the Homestead Heritage Community Hall.

Everyone is welcome to attend either or both events.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Betty’s Chalk Bluff Baptist Sunday School class “Gideon Bible Project”, to Heritage Ministries Mission Outreach, or to Buckner International.