Betty Jo Allen

Betty Jo Allen (BJ), age 95, of Little Rock, Ark., passed away November 22, 2024 after a life filled with love, faith, music and resilience. She was born in 1929 in Marshall, Texas, the only child of Vinnie Leel Bellamy Welch and Arthur James Welch. BJ was blessed with two loving marriages. She was married to her first husband Clifford Thomas Dunn for 20 years until his death in 1970. She was married to Forrest Wayne Allen for 17 years until his death in 1991. She was also preceded in death by her son Clifford Thomas (Tommy) Dunn Jr.

A gifted piano player, she attended East Texas Baptist College. She shared her love of music by teaching piano and organ for over 40 years. She touched the lives of countless students, inspiring a passion for music that carried through generations. Even in her later years, she found immense joy playing the piano at her church and nursing homes well into her 90’s.

A devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, BJ is survived by her daughter Donna Kay Verser of Arkansas, her son Jim Dunn (Theresa Sprenger) of North Carolina, six grandchildren – Micheal Williamson (KY), Richie Williamson (KY), Melanie Verser Poole (AR), Angela Dunn Livingston (AR), Jenny Dunn Hays (AR), and Tyler Dunn (FL); and six great grandchildren – Kaeli, Kenzi, Klaira, Owen, Sam and Zachary.

BJ was of the Baptist faith, and a long standing member of Parkway Place Church in Little Rock, where a celebration of her 95th birthday and her life, with 60 of her friends, family and fellow church members was held in late October. We wish to thank all who made that day special for her.

A graveside service for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, December 3rd at 1:00pm at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Cemetery, 7724 Landers Road, North Little Rock, AR. A visitation will be held immediately before the service at 12:00 noon in the Rest Hills Serenity Room.