Betty Marie Lowe was born on December 27, 1942 to Sam Davis Lowe and Lois Williams Lowe as the youngest of four children. she went to be with the Lord February 25th, 2021.
Betty lived the first 10 years of her life in Ada where she was born and the next eight years in Pauls Valley where she graduated from Pauls Valley High School in 1960. She returned to Ada to attend college and graduated from East Central University with a Bachelor’s degree in education in 1964.
She met her future husband José when they both were attending East Central. When she graduated, she went to visit her then fiancé’s family in Panama City, Panama with plans to also get a teaching job in the Canal Zone. The requirements to teach there were two years of experience. A decision was made to return to the United States. Betty was able to get a teaching job at Washington, Oklahoma, while she worked on her Master’s in education.
Betty and José were married in 1965 and blessed with two sons, James Randall Soto (in 1971) and Mark Allen Soto (in 1973). They moved to Norman in 1968 where José worked at Norman Regional Hospital. Betty taught at Washington for 44 years retiring in 2008 but continuing to substitute until 2020.
Betty was preceded in death by her mother (Lois), father (Sam), sister (Sharon Roth), brother (Robert Lowe), aunt Mavis (Majo) and uncle Bill Quincy, the boys’ father José Soto and his wife Nancy, and niece Monica.
Betty is survived by her older son James (Randy), his wife Rhonda, and step-son and friend Jameson; her younger son Mark, his wife Andrea, and their children Cooper, Chloe, and Caroline; her brother Joe and wife Geri; her dear friend and caregiver Stephanie, her niece Ann Rose; her nephews Jeff (his husband Ken and Jeff’s daughters Amanda and Stacey), Danny (his wife Kathy and their daughter Melissa), Mike (his children Brad and Shanna), Howard (his wife Evelyn and sons Christopher and Matthew), and a multitude of friends, coworkers, and former students.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Washington Elementary PTO. Please note “In memory of Betty Soto” and donate by PayPal (Washington.elem.ok.pto@gmail.com) or by check mailed to the school or to P.O. Box 704 Washington OK 73093.
Graveside funeral services will be March 8, 2021 at 2:00 pm at the Ada Memorial Park with Chaplain Michael Batdorf, officiating. Interment at the Ada Memorial Park is under the direction of the Stufflebean-Coffey Funeral Home in Pauls Valley.
