Betty Lou Brown

Betty Lou Brown, 83, passed away Sept. 15, 2015, at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska.

Born Jan. 19, 1932, in Pyatt, Arkansas, Betty lived in Arkansas until she was 12, at which time her family moved to Washington state. At age 15, Betty met Neal Brown, the young man who would become her husband one year later. Betty and Neal lived in the states of Washington and Oregon for the first 13 years of their married lives. During that time they had four children: Linda, Roy, Ginger and Alice.

Betty’s husband dreamed of moving to Alaska for many years, so in 1961, Betty and Neal packed up their belongings and their four children and made the long trip to Alaska. For the next 54-plus years, Betty lived in Alaska with her husband and family. Betty’s children all married. Linda married Jack Turner and Linda had two children, Lucinda and Michael Thompson; Roy married Norma Rush and they had two daughters, Cherish Brown and Misty Massey; Ginger married Greg Beal and they had four children, Tara Clark, Troy Beal, Toby Beal and Todd Beal. Alice married Wayne Hershman III, and they had five children, Wayne Hershman IV, Tammy Hershman, Rachael Bowen, Rebekah Hershman and Danielle Hershman. From these grandchildren, Betty was blessed with 31 great-grandchildren.

Betty accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior in 1958, and she has faithfully attended the Palmer Christian Church for the last 52 years. Betty instilled into her children and grandchildren the importance of loving and serving God. Betty’s greatest hope was that all of her family would have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Betty was always willing to give her family a helping hand. Betty enjoyed family get-togethers; cooking; baking; gardening; singing; playing her guitar; crocheting Afghans; and shopping for shoes; handbags; and scarfs.

Betty was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, and she will be greatly missed.

Betty is proceeded in death by her parents, John and Myrtle Waggoner; her husband of 63 years Neal Brown; her granddaughter Lucinda Thompson; her son-in-law Jack Turner; and her granddaughter-in-law Windy Thompson.

Betty will be laid to rest at the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery beside her husband. The funeral services will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 3 p.m. at Palmer First Christian Church, located on Scott Rd. in Palmer, Alaska.