Bettye Su Kelley

Bettye Su Kelley died Thursday, December 20, 2018 at the home of her daughter Mollie and husband Mark Colvin in Whitesboro, Texas. Su had moved from Granbury, where she had been a longstanding resident, and had enjoyed almost three years of country living on this peaceful North Texas acreage. From her birth on January 1, 1930 by parents Laura Viola Cauthen Tippit and Hedley Elijah Tippit in Lubbock, through to the time of her death, Su not only grew to be a faithful disciple of Christ, but enriched the lives of family, church members and friends with her dedication to teaching the bible which was her passion the last several years of her life. Born in Lubbock, she grew up with her brother Jack and sister Doris Tippit, then graduated from Lubbock High School, during which time she met her future husband Robert “Bob” Kelley. Together, they attended Texas Tech University, eventually married at St. John’s Methodist Church in Lubbock on August 21, 1948, then soon moved to Arlington where Su “set up house” and began their family in earnest. She was a dedicated mother of four, Mike, Mollie, Stuart, and Jennie, all surviving her in death, along with nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. During her empty nest years, Su enjoyed success in several endeavors, most notably with American Airlines where she served in Consumer Relations for almost a decade before retiring. Bob and Su moved to Granbury, built a house, and immediately began traveling extensively throughout the US by travel trailer and later by air to Europe and finally, Ireland, the home of their heart. After their travels, Su settled into the role of Miz Granner and began hosting regular weekends for her children and grandchildren. Their river home was a frequent gathering place for picnics, overnighters, and recreation for the kids always eager to go see “The Granner’s”. Included in Su’s passions, particularly in her later years, was teaching her beloved Visionaries Class at Acton United Methodist Church whose membership continued to outgrow every classroom assigned to her during her years of teaching. Part minister, part scholar, she had the ability to bring God’s Word to Life and provide weekly inspiration and understanding to her class who held her in the highest esteem for her discipleship.
A Memorial Service is to be held at Acton United Methodist Church in Acton, Texas on Saturday January 19, 2019 at 6 pm and preceded by a Visitation Observance at Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury to be held at 4 pm. It is requested that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Alzheimer’s Association / North Central Texas Chapter in her name.