Betty Howard

The family will receive friends at Brooks Chapel on Monday, May 16 from 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. Services will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 17 in University Church of Christ with David Lough, minister, officiating. Burial will follow in Dreamland Cemetery. Betty was born Sept. 18, 1933, to Ross and Opal Craig, Texas Panhandle pioneers whose family arrived in Randall County aboard covered wagons in 1900. Betty lived her entire life in Canyon. She married Duane Howard on July 13, 1953, in her parent's home on 4th Avenue in Canyon. Betty was a lifetime member of the University Church of Christ and genuinely lived her Christian faith with assured hope. Betty attended Canyon public schools, including Canyon High School, and in 1950 at the age of 16, graduated from Canyon's other high school, West Texas High. She earned her B.S. degree in elementary education from West Texas State College in 1953. Betty was the first student to "practice teach" in the Canyon Independent School District. Prior to this time, students completed their practice teaching at the West Texas State Demonstration School and schools in Amarillo. She began teaching 2nd grade at Canyon elementary in the fall of 1953 at the age of 19. Upon completion of its construction, she soon moved to the new Rex Reeves Elementary School and proudly served among its inaugural group of teachers. Mr. Reeves was Betty and Duane's next door neighbor. She is still fondly remembered by her former students who are now mostly over 60 years of age. One of Betty's greatest joys was encouraging those students whose circumstances warranted extra attention. Following her teaching years, Betty served as the secretary for the University Church of Christ for 12 years and was later employed by the state of Texas as a Child Development Specialist where she monitored 40 counties in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains before retiring in 1993. She received numerous outstanding service awards during her tenure with the state. Betty diligently served her family, brothers and sisters in Christ, community, friends and neighbors, schools, employers and volunteered tirelessly helping improve the lives of children living at High Plains Children's Home. A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Lawrence "Larry" McAfee, the family physician, for his sincere personal touch. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Duane, her parents, Ross Craig and Opal (McKay) Craig and a brother, Albert G. "Al" Craig. She is survived by one son, Craig Howard and wife Jane of Amarillo, one grandson, Heath Howard of Amarillo, a brother, James "Jimmy" Craig and wife Rita of Canyon along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. If Betty made your life happier, the family encourages and appreciates any memorials be named in her honor and directed to High Plains Children's Home and Family Services, Inc., 11461 S. Western Street, Amarillo, Texas, 79118.