Betty Jean McGee

Betty was born to Eugene and Jewel Royse on March 6, 1936 in Lufkin, TX. A beloved only-child, full of spunk and smarts, she graduated at age seventeen as salutatorian from West Columbia High School. She met the love of her life, Owen McGee, and they married 69 years ago on October 5th, 1952 in Bellville, TX.

Betty and Owen were blessed with three adventurous children. Inspired by a desire for a dishwasher, Betty began her career delivering eggs in the mid-60s and furthered her career by opening a knitting shop in her home. Always industrious, Betty excelled in domesticity. She could create practically anything with a sewing machine and taught herself to crochet by reading instructions from the encyclopedia! Gifted with a keen intelligence, she rooted for the Texas Longhorns in her sports enthusiasm, and was an unbeatable Jeopardy Queen. As her children left home and married, she invested her talents as a real estate agent in the mid-70s and also worked as a sailmaker in preparation for her lifelong dream and joy, sailing away to the Caribbean. To her grandchildren’s delight, the whole family would reap the sweet fruit of her adventurous spirit in the form of amazing tropical vacations for many wonderful years on Hiatus. No matter how many nautical miles from the grocery store, her people never went hungry. No bakery could compete with her famous bread-in-a-can! And if everyone else was off snorkeling but you and Mimi, she would bust out her secret chocolate stash … with a diet coke. If you knew her well, or maybe if she knew you well, you knew you better mean it if you asked for her opinion. You knew where she stood on things because, like it or not, she would tell you. She could also entertain for hours with her telling of personal escapades or keep you laughing while she corrected the minor details in Owen’s recollections. To know her, was to know him. She was a passionate preacher’s wife with a classic soprano voice that was as strong as she was. Her poise and grace was apparent to everyone she met. She was faithful in her devotion to the Lord, and she will be dearly missed.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Searcy Owen; their daughter, Kim Demland; their two sons and their wives, Rick & Kim McGee and Steve & Shanna McGee; and their six grandchildren with their spouses, Maia & Rylan Palmer, Stephanie & Bryan Henslee, Richard McGee, Sabrina & Jeremy Ruckel, Chase & Tara Demland, Ryan & Kristen Demland; and twelve great grandchildren ranging in age from eighteen months to seventeen years.

Her memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, March 27th at Angleton Road Church of Christ in Lake Jackson, TX