Betty Bounds

BETTY LEE BROCKMAN BOUNDS, 73, passed away Saturday, January 9, 2021 in Spring, TX. She was born on July 18, 1947 in Houston, TX. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Emmett and Dorothy Brockman and her brother Robert Brockman. She is survived by her husband of almost 52 years, Andrew Bounds, daughter Jennifer Bounds, daughter Amanda Baumle and husband Larry, son Gregory Bounds and wife May, two grandchildren, Gwen and Leo Baumle, and her sister Rebecca (Becky) Brockman Noland and husband Dennis.

Betty graduated with honors from Sam Houston High School in May 1965 and was ranked 6th in a graduating class numbering slightly over 600. In high school, she began taking courses in journalism and served as the school paper’s Feature Editor, Co-Assistant Editor, and Editor-in-Chief. After graduation, she enrolled as a Journalism major at Sam Houston State University. She was selected for membership into Sam Houston’s Press Club based on grades and self-improvement in the journalistic field during her sophomore year. In her junior year, she received mention as Who’s Who based on her work as Houstonian Copy Editor, Editor-in-Chief, and member of the News Bureau. She also received scholarships from the Jesse Jones Foundation, the Mary McAshan Gibbs award, and the Houston Press Club. She was elected a member of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society in her junior year. Betty graduated with honors from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in both Journalism and English (her Dad insisted that she get a teaching certificate hence the two fields).

Betty and Andrew Bounds met in high school in 1964. Their first date was to the National Forensic Society’s banquet. Agreeing to attend meant that Betty missed her annual newspaper banquet in her senior year, but she said (despite some initial hard feelings!) she never regretted the decision. She dated him during the end of high school. Separate colleges briefly interrupted the relationship, but they resumed dating in 1967. Betty and Andrew got married on January 25th 1969 at Bethel Baptist Church where she and her family were active members.

After graduation from college, Betty was offered a job in the registrar’s office as the catalog editor for Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. As catalog editor, Betty was responsible for planning, and organizing the development of the university’s catalog. She not only met frequently with the individual college departments but, in the age prior to computers and word processing, met with artists, typesetters, and layout personnel. She was well thought of when the time came to move back to Houston.

Betty had a long career as an early childhood and elementary educator. She received her State Board for Education Certification from the state of Texas which authorized her to practice as a Classroom Teacher. She taught for over twenty years in both private and public schools. She retired from the Klein Independent School District where she taught second grade.

Betty’s greatest rewards in life were her children and grandchildren. She instilled in all of her children a love of education and reading, as well as the practice of spending regular time talking to Mom about their days – something that continued throughout her life in frequent phone calls. Shortly after her retirement, she began caring for her first grandchild, Gwen, and loved to spend time telling and writing stories with her and working on arts and crafts projects. She later played the same important role in her grandson, Leo’s, life.

A graveside service will be held at Earthman Resthaven Funeral Home and Cemetery on Monday, January 18, 2020, at noon for immediate family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to Houston’s Writers in the Schools (WITS) program in recognition of Betty’s lifetime devotion to education, or to a charity of your choice, in her name.