Betty was born on December 19, 1926, in Abilene, Texas to D.C. and Lillian Gibbs Sewell. She was born at home so her mother could be home for Christmas with her two older brothers, Clinton and Robert. Betty spent her early years in Abilene, Texas, and Clovis and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Moving in search of jobs was common in the 1930s.

The family moved to Fort Worth when Betty was in fourth grade and stayed until eighth grade. D.C. was a traveling salesman at the time working for Cactus Petroleum Company. Betty fondly remembered giving a speech at the company banquet entitled “Why My Daddy is a Success.” In eighth grade the family moved once again to San Antonio where Betty graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1943.

During World War II, her father built rural wooden bridges and struggled to get adequate lumber because of wartime shortages, so the family moved to Livingston, Texas so that he could open a lumber mill in nearby Shepherd.

Betty entered Baylor University in 1943, majoring in psychology and English. In the summers she attended SMU in Dallas, Tulane University in New Orleans, and Columbia University in New York City. She attended the V-J Parade (Victory over Japan) in New York City and saw The Glass Menagerie on Broadway with her brother, Clinton, who worked in New York City at the time. She remembered the thrill of a train trip from Texas to New York City during World War II. She graduated from Baylor in 1946 at 19 years old, and shortly after, the Livingston school superintendent encouraged her to become a teacher, though she lacked a certification. So, Betty began teaching seventh and eighth grade English in Livingston at the age of 19 and earned her teaching certification from Sam Houston Teachers College. She also earned a Master of Education degree with a focus on English while working full time.

After the war, she met Allen Peebles, who had graduated from the University of Texas and returned to Livingston to work at First National Bank with his father instead of becoming a bank examiner. Allen and Betty became closely acquainted at bridge parties, on the tennis court and at church. He proposed and they married on June 4, 1949.

Betty and Allen had a wonderful life in Livingston where they were married for 65 years when Allen passed away in 2014. They were members of Central Baptist Church for their entire married lives.

Betty taught eighth grade American history for about 35 years, where she touched the lives of countless Livingston school children. She always felt teaching history was her destiny, and that her life would have been very different had she taught English instead. Her energy was endless. She was very active in her community and would also spend her Betty Peebles

Family burial service held Saturday

evenings sewing entire wardrobes for her daughters.

Betty retired from teaching in 1987 and became a volunteer for the Livingston Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Mannafest, a local food pantry. She was a member of Crime Stoppers, the Retired School Professional Organization and AAUW, as well as several bridge and book clubs. Her love of reading, literature and history was very important throughout her life.

Betty was an amazing cook. She loved to entertain, especially for the holidays, and to spend time with her family, and particularly her six grandchildren, who loved her dearly. She and Allen traveled the world in their retirement, visiting every continent except Antarctica! They fell in love with the Rocky Mountains early in their marriage and spent 15 summers at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park enjoying hiking and the cool mountain air with their children and friends. Betty loved to tell the story of her harrowing ascent up Longs Peak, the highest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Betty is survived by her three daughters and their spouses, Leslie Jones (Mike), Meredith Miller (Jim) and Laurie Gupton (Ronnie); her six grandchildren and their spouses, Clint Jones (Robin), Andrew Jones (Kelly), Spencer Jones (Avery), Jamie Villarreal (Josh), Meg Scott (Lee) and Jonathan Gupton (Emily). Betty was also blessed with twelve great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends who are grateful for having had her in their lives.

A family burial service was held on Saturday, September 7. In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be sent to Mannafest Food Pantry, P.O. Box 466, Livingston, Texas 77351 or at the website mannafestlivingstontexas.org.

Cochran Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements. Please sign our online guestbook at www.cochranfh.com.