Mrs. Bettye Jo Ferguson Lewis

By Staff, 03/30/18 6:29 AM

A Memorial Celebration of
The Home going
Of
Mrs. Bettye Jo Ferguson Lewis

Services
Union Baptist Church
201 Towson Street
Fulton, Arkansas
Saturday, March 31, 2018
11:00 a.m.
Rev Billy R. Roberts, Pastor
Officiating

Obituary
On Sunday, March 18, 2018 after 81 years of life, our mother, sister, aunt and friend, Mrs. Bettye Jo Ferguson Lewis went to Heaven to be with her Lord, surrounded by family at Home Place Hospice in Tyler, TX.
Bettye, the second of three children, was born to the parentage of the late Mr. Hartwell Ferguson Jr and Calamazar (Callie) Calvin on August 22, 1936 in Fulton, Arkansas.
She joined Union Baptist Church at an early age and often talked of the old days of her church rendering, holding numerous positions; Financial Secretary/Treasurer, Choir President, Order of Eastern Star, Pastor Aide, Program Committee and supported all auxiliaries of the church. Bettye attended grammar school in Fulton and later graduated from Henry C. Yerger High school in 1955, Hope, Arkansas.
She attended college at Arkansas AM&N (UAPB), Pine Bluff Arkansas from 1955-1959, graduating with a degree in Sociology. Bettye later attended Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana and the University of Minnesota, Minnesota, Minneapolis, furthering her studies and receiving teaching endorsements.
She taught school for twenty years in the following districts; Cape Girardeau Missouri, Mississippi County Arkansas, Eldorado, Arkansas, East St. Louis, Illinois and Washington, Arkansas. In 1969-1970 she went from teaching in segregated to unsegregated school in Eldorado, Arkansas, which she was proud of being part of.
After raising her two sons and sending both off to college and military, she experienced the empty nest syndrome and became a foster parent (Rain Bow of Challenges Inc. Hope, Arkansas) to a beautiful little girl, who she raised as her own for twenty one years. Bettye was a friend, mother and advisor too many, always lending an ear. Her passion was helping who ever she could, especially cooking for the church and community.
She is preceded in death by her Parents, Brother Horace Ferguson, A special Aunt Mable Calvin Taylor Reese and daughter Roshonda Jackson.
Bettye leaves to cherish her memories two sons, Bryan M. McDuffie (Sundae) of Tyler, TX; Vinson L. Lewis (Deanna) of Desoto, TX; One brother George Ferguson (Helen) of Tyler, TX; Four Grand Children Deshaun Hendrix of Huntsville, AL; Ayras and Kaleb Lewis of Desoto, TX; Yancy McDuffie of Tyler, TX; Two Great Grand Children De’Ari and Jordan Hendrix of Huntsville, AL; A special nephew, Aubrae Ferguson, Tyler, TX; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, please give a donation in Bettye Jo Lewis’s memory to, The Hospice of East Texas, 41111 University Blvd. Tyler, TX.
WWW.hhhospiceofeasttexas.org