Bettie Lee Hooker

Bettie Lee Hooker, age 85, the oldest daughter of the late Pearl Estelle Sims and Robert Lee Featherston, died Saturday, November 19, 2022, in her home in Gatesville, the town where she was born, went to school, married, worked and raised her family. 

Bettie, the oldest of nine children, worked hard her entire life. She carried her family through the tough times, she kept her children fed, and clothed.  She paid for speech therapy, glasses and saw to it her children’s needs were met.  She did this as a single mother on a factory wage.  

In her early years she married and moved to Kansas. Bettie returned to Gatesville and married Bill Hooker. When she married Bill, she brought the blended family together under her wing and shared her love equally to the larger brood.  A small conference room table was needed to feed the brood, often a fare of pinto beans and fried potatoes.

She would later open her home further to Pa and Granny Hooker, Bill’s Parents, until their deaths.  When that chapter closed and the children raised, she and Bill moved from her longtime home on Barton Lane to West Main in Gatesville where she and Bill operated Hooker Upholstery.

She was a good mother and her children loved her.  Her life was one where, no matter what the challenge, she gave of herself.  

Her passing was a peaceful ending to a good life.  She was and is loved and leaves behind a thankful family.

Bettie was preceded in death by husband, Bill; Nelda McGehee, Katherine Smith, Alice Breckenridge, and 5 of her grandchildren, Patricia, Jeff, Chester, Katrina and Aaron.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her children, Vivian Moore, Connie Lee, Mary Breshears, Bobby Brown, Cheryll Baker, Larry Brown and Roy Hooker; sisters and brothers; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews.