Betty Ellis

Betty was born to Charles and Maud (Deal) Waterman in Detroit, Michigan.  She married John Bufford “Boots” Ellis October 3, 1944 while he was stationed in the Detroit area during World War II.  The couple relocated to Kilgore, Texas after the war.

This petite, beautiful lady had to be the most independent, strong willed human on the planet. She was a champion shopper, an avid reader and loved every single cat and cabbage patch doll in the world. She had the latest iPhone and iPad, a 75” big screen and a 42” TV in her one- bedroom apartment. She lived every minute of every day to its fullest.

When her first grandson, Ken was starting to talk, she wanted him to call her Granny but it came out “Mini” which he refused to change and that was that. She was affectionately known by family and many others as Mini from that day on.

Betty could be cantankerous at times and probably was never on time anywhere her entire life.  However, she raised two mostly normal daughters who are treasured by their husbands.

Betty worked from the time she was 19 years old. She worked at East Texas Steel Casting Company in Longview, Texas where she made her home until the plant closed. Then she went to work at WalMart and Office Depot. Walmart at night and Office Depot in the daytime.

She was well into her eighties when she finally cut back to just one part time job at Office Depot.  More often than not, it was the smiling face of “Miss Betty” that Office Depot customers sought out when they needed assistance.

In 2012, she sold her home and moved into her dream apartment where she lived happily, for almost 7 years.  She was still driving her 1974 baby blue VW Super Beetle and working part time just shy of her 97th birthday, when felled by a stroke in 2018.  Even then she fought to regain her independence and held on to the hope that she would be able to work again.

In her last year, her youthful, independent spirit became increasingly trapped in a worn-out body. On October 31, 2021 she passed away peacefully in her sleep.  The family thanks Greenbriar Nursing Center in D’Iberville, Mississippi for the attentive and compassionate care provided during the last year of her life.  Betty’s ashes will be scattered beside her husband at the Kilgore, Texas Cemetery. Graveside services will be announced at a later date.

She was an extraordinary wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother. She leaves the world a living legacy.  If you’re so moved to honor Betty’s memory, please remember your local animal rescue or St Jude. She did love her cats and was a strong supporter of St Jude.

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Gulfport, is serving the family.