Betty Shults

Betty Shults, age 93 of Abilene, formerly of Gatesville, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, July 15, 2023. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at Scotts Funeral Home Chapel in Gatesville, with Brother Floyd Brown and Brother A. C. Painter officiating. Interment will follow at Turnersville Cemetery.  Betty’s family will receive visitors one hour prior to services at the funeral home.

Betty Lou Tickner Shults was born March 28, 1930 in Pratt, Kansas, to the late Wesley Caradine and Thelma Curry Tickner.  Betty liked to brag that she came to her senses at the age of nine days old and moved to Texas.  She graduated from Odessa High School in Odessa, Texas where she met the love of her life, Doug Shults.  They were married on September 8, 1947 and spent the next 58 years together until he was called to Heaven.  To this marriage were born two daughters, Libby and Anne and the special blessing of her son, Pete.  Betty lived in Gatesville, until 2021 when she moved to Abilene.  Above all, Betty loved the Lord and shared her faith with each person she met.   After the Lord, she cherished her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.   She was a blessing to all who knew her.

After moving to Abilene, she was lovingly cared for by all of the staff at Mesa Springs Health Care Center, especially Chase Blake, Angelica Wilburn, Madison Bunch and Sharon Hilton. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Doug, son, Pete, her parents, W. C. and Thelma Tickner; and sisters, LaVerne Mauldin and Allie Spurgeon. 

Betty is survived by two daughters, Libby Connally and husband, Eddie, and Anne Wamba; three grandsons, Chuck Connally and wife, Amy, Jason Wamba and wife, Shelly and Chris Connally; four great grandchildren, Kent Lauren and husband, Sean, Tamara Wohlers and husband, Taylor, Hunter Wamba and wife, Hannah, Cassidy Wamba, B. J. Anderson; and five great-great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her pastor and wife, A. C. and Pat Painter; a host of friends, and her special four-legged child, “Trixie.”

Pallbearers will be Chuck Connally, Jason Wamba, Larry Warren, Shane Sutton, Roy Necessary and Steven Nichols.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Louis Herry, Delvin King, Paul Regino and Rodney Bond. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Betty’s honor to Harmony Baptist Church, 4921 E. Highway 84, Gatesville, TX 76528.