Bettie Sue Muckelroy Burkhalter

Bettie Sue was born about 10 minutes before her twin sister Bennie Lou at home in Etoile, Texas to Luella and Bean Muckelroy on February 23, 1938.

Bettie played basketball, volleyball, and was on the boy’s baseball team at Woden High School. After graduation, she attended business school in Lufkin and began her career as a secretary at Southern Pine Lumber Company in Diboll, Texas in the late 1950s. She married Vernon Burkhalter, along with his three daughters, in 1961. Altogether, they raised five daughters and several bonus daughters.

Bettie spent her entire career with Temple Industries, completing the last 35 years as Arthur Temple’s executive assistant. Bettie loved Diboll and was especially proud of her daughters, granddaughter and great-granddaughter running for and being crowned Diboll Day Queens.

Bettie was an avid hunter and fisherman. She killed at least one buck each year for 54 years and received several Texas Big Game Awards. She shared her love of the outdoors and competitive spirit with her grandchildren.

She faithfully served the Diboll First United Methodist Church as a member of the choir, Sunday School teacher, and on various committees.

Bettie is survived by her husband of 60 years, Vernon Burkhalter; her daughters, Lisa Burkhalter, Suzanne Langford, Bessie Furgurson, and Dorothy Barlow; son-in-law, James Ledford; 11 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren; bonus daughters, Valerie Gates Porter, Melissa McCall and Tammy Lloyd Haley.

She is survived by siblings, twins, Gerald McClure (Marie), Geraldine Runnels and Donna Lee (Karey).

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, T.C. Muckelroy; sister, Nell Graves; twin sister, Bennie Tindall; stepdaughter, Jerri Ledford; and son-in-law, James Furgurson.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Chace Langford, Haegen Spring, Rich Spring and Bubba Nevills; great-grandson, Gunner Horton; and nephew, Daron Lee.

Honorary pallbearers are J.D. Johnson, Don Dietz, Don Hendrick, Sherrel Fears, Raymond Lenderman and James Ledford.

Graveside services will be held at Ryan Chapel Church Cemetery in Diboll on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. For the safety of everyone, please wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

Memorial contributions may be made to Diboll Civic Club Christmas Blessings Fund, 909 South Meadows, Diboll, Texas 75941 or Blue Springs Cemetery Association in care of Linda Lowery, PO Box 106, Etoile, Texas, 75944.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.