Betty Jo Pace Berry Kelley

Betty Jo Pace Berry Kelley, 74, of Hemphill, Texas, passed away after fighting a courageous battle with cancer on September 13, 2016, at her home, surrounded by her family.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2016, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange, Texas. Officiating will be Reverend Lynn Ashcraft, of North Orange Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Orange Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, September 15, 2016, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in Center, Texas, on September 9, 1942, she was the daughter of Robert Samuel Pace and Mildred Faye (McMillian) Pace. Betty was a lifetime member of the National PTA and helped in getting hearing tests for all students in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville ISD. In the 1970’s she was very active on the committee that worked to pass the bond issue to build new school buildings for Little Cypress-Mauriceville. During the Colombia Shuttle recovery efforts, Joe and Betty would arrive with other members of their community at 4:00 a.m. at the VFW to provide breakfast to the recovery workers. Betty was a very determined woman who was devoted to her family.

The family would like to acknowledge Betty’s daughter, Gena, for her steadfast love and devotion during her mother’s illness, along with her friends Tutu and Babs for all of their care and support. The family would also like to thank Hospice in the Pines in Lufkin for their wonderful care.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her first husband, Gene Berry.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving husband, Joe R. Kelley, Sr.; children, Gena Wilson and husband Johnny, of Brookeland and Bobby Berry and wife Mari, of Orange; step-children, Melanie Tilley and husband Ray, of Orange, Jody Kelley and Diane Brown, of Orange, and Leslie Williams and husband Ray, of Alvin; 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; sister, Judy Blanchard, of Houston; and her furry friend, Sister the Cat.

Serving as pallbearers will be Dan Terry, Jerry Pickard, Larry Martin, James Sears, Glen Gobert, and Ken Rams. Honorary pallbearers are George Carney, Jim Stimac, Frank Rach, Mike Parish, Sr., and Robert Cron.