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© Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home
Submitted by: Becky Rodgers
Betty Arnett passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at the age of 91 years, 1 month and 21 days. Mrs. Arnett was born Betty Louise Baxter on May 2, 1922 in Duncannon, PA. She was the 6th of 16 children born to Margaret Lovina (Cradler) Baxter and Stanley McGowan Baxter. Traveling by train from Pennsylvania, the Baxter family moved to Bokchito, OK in 1924, when Betty was two years old.
Betty married Bill Green on June 6, 1949 and together, they raised his three children, Bob, Barbara and Beverly; her daughter, Patty; and a daughter of their own, Mary. Our family joke was we had “His”, “Hers”, and “Ours”.
Bill passed away in 1966. In 1971, Betty married Albert Tidwell, a retired Marine and school teacher. During the twenty years they were married, they were active in Al’s 2nd Marine Association, traveling to 44 of the 50 United States for yearly Marine reunions. Al bought Betty a charm for each state during those travels. She had to have two charm bracelets to hold all of the charms. They were also active members of Dixie Squares Square Dance Club and loved to dance.
Al passed away in 1991. In 1997, Betty married Fred Arnett. The first few years of their marriage, Fred took her to the last six states she had not visited and she got to finish her charm bracelet. She was very proud of the fact that she had been to all 50 states. Fred passed away in 2009.
After 19 years, Betty retired as the Durant City Treasurer in 1983. Prior to becoming City Treasurer, Betty had worked at Montgomery Ward, Durant Retail Merchants and Engles Clinic. Betty was an accomplished seamstress, making clothes for her children and grandchildren. In later years, she tried quilting, crochet and embroidery, winning blue ribbons at the Bryan County Fair. She loved traveling and loved even more the planning that went into her trips.
She was a wonderful housekeeper, always busy and pretty good with a hammer & saw when she wanted something done. Betty was a Christian and had been a member of Fairview Baptist Church since 1956. Her family is Fifth Generation members of Fairview beginning with her and her husband, Bill, Bill‘s mother, Mary C. Green and continuing with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; two infant siblings; six brothers, Lavern, John, Tom, Paul, David, and Joe Baxter; five sisters, Freda Powell, Mary Chaddick, Frances Grisso, Fay Stricker, a nd Ruth Staton; three nephews, Mark Baxter, Clifford Chaddick, and Gene Grisso, and a son-in-law, Gene Smith.
She is survived by her Children, Robert Green and wife, Gaylia, Bokchito; Barbara Smith, Ward, Arkansas; Patty Shackleford and husband, Billy, Durant; Beverly Hoard and husband, Tommy, Denison, TX; Mary Meyer and husband, Dennis, Amarillo, TX; Grandchildren, Roberta Hicks, N. Little Rock, Arkansas, Kathy Thomison and husband, Josh, Austin, Arkansas; Alan Hicks and wife, Teresa, N. Little Rock, Arkansas; Beth Nimz, Ft. Worth, TX; Karen Wyatt and husband, Jeff, Abilene, TX; Bobby Green and wife Melissa, Austin, TX; Bonnie Hoard, Rockwall, TX; Bobbie Elkins and husband, Steve, College Station, TX; Howard Hoard and wife, Laura, Celina, TX; Tammy Ezell and husband, Richard, Durant; Scott Shackleford, Durant; David Vandergriff and wife, Monica, Denver, CO; Brooke Vandergriff and husband, Toby, Amarillo, TX; sister, Neva Smart, Seminole, OK; brother, Phil Baxter and wife, Lois, Choctaw, OK; daughter-in-law, Leslie Green, Richardson, TX; son-in-law, Alton Hicks, N. Little Rock, AR; numerous great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Betty was always so proud of her large family and has entertained her children, family, and friends with stories about her childhood and growing up in the midst of the Baxter clan. In 1972, she helped arrange and host the Baxter Family Reunion, an event which continued for many years.
Family Hour will be from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening, June 25th at the Holmes Coffey Murray Funeral Home in Durant.
A funeral service celebrating her life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at Fairview Baptist Church with Rev. Bill Ledbetter officiating. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery.
Family and friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.holmescoffeymurray.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations to the Fairview Baptist Church Fellowship Center Building Fund, 1200 University, Durant, OK 74701.
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