Bettye Earle Raines 2/6/1931 -10/29/2006

Bettye Earle Raines was born February 6, 1931 at home in Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas, the daughter of Albert Milton (Booster) Earle and Lela Jewel Wall. She attended elementary and secondary school in Ironton and graduated from Jacksonville High School at age 16.

Bettye attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville and graduated from Texas State College for Women (now Texas Women's University) in 1951. Bettye met the young local pastor, Reverend William (Bill) Hall Raines, Sr. in 1953 while he was assigned to Cherokee Methodist Circuit and they were married at Earle's Chapel in 1954.

Bettye and Bill served as a pastor's family with the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church in a variety of churches in Southeast Texas. In the most recent years they have served in a variety of Houston churches and retired from Onalaska United Methodist Church. Bettye and Bill have two children: Elizabeth Earle Raines and William (Billy) Hall Raines, Jr. both of Houston.

In 1964 Bettye went back to school and received her Masters of Library Science degree. She served as the school librarian for Royal High School and Royal Elementary in Brookshire, Texas.

Bettye participated in a variety of service organizations in whatever community they served. She was active as a member of the United Methodist Women's Organization and often taught Sunday school and presented special mission projects. She had a lifelong love of books and gave regular book reviews. While living in Beaumont she was a member of the local Junior Forum. While working at the University of Houston she was a member of the American University Women's Association.

In 1972 after seeing both of her children into or through high school she returned to college at the University of Houston to work on her Masters Degree of Social Psychology. Bettye spent over twenty years as a Researcher in the Psychology department where she was responsible for writing grants and editing and writing books with the well known Dr. Richard I. Evans. Working together they developed the "Just Say No" tobacco and drug and cessation research. Bettye retired from the University to dedicate her time to her three beautiful granddaughters, genealogy research and well deserved retirement with her husband. In 1996 Bettye and Bill moved to their current home in the Earle's Chapel community on the old Earle homestead where she spent many years as a child.

Bettye and Bill celebrated 50 years of marriage just recently at Earle's Chapel in 2004 and were looking forward to celebrating their 52nd anniversary in February of 2007.

She was preceded in death by her brother Arlon and her mother Jewel Earle. She is survived by her husband, the Reverend William Hall (Bill) Raines, Sr., her brothers and sisters-in-law Jack & Barbara Earle and Neil & Selena Earle, her sister-in-law Barbara Earle, her children Elizabeth Earle Raines and Billy & Cheryl Raines, both of Houston, grandchildren Rebecca Denise Raines, Elizabeth Ann Raines and Marianna Michelle Raines.

Visitation will be held at Autry Funeral Home (1025 SE. Loop 456, Jacksonville) on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006 from 6 to 8 PM. The funeral service will be held at Earle's Chapel at 2 PM Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006 under the direction of Autry Funeral Home, Memorials can be made to the Jacksonville Public Library, 502 S Jackson, Jacksonville, TX. 75766  or the Earle's Chapel Cemetery Association, PO Box 602, Jacksonville, TX. 75766.

Information from Autry Funeral Home