Betty Joyce Mixon

Betty was born on January 16, 1933 to Marshall and Bertha Hemby in Dallas, Texas in a house that stood on what is now the parking lot of the State Fair of Texas. She lived almost her entire life in the Dallas area. She had a long career as an exemplary nurse and retired as a hospice R.N. from Vitas, the agency she chose to provide her end-of-life care. The Vitas nurses lovingly provided that trusted care in the weeks before her death on July 9th, with a little unsolicited information from Betty about how things used to be done when she was a hospice nurse! Betty became a grandmother at 37 and was amused and flattered when people asked if her grandson, Andy was her baby. She worked for 11 years for the doctor who delivered Andy and Melanie and was present for their births. A few things you might not know about Bettyshe was and accomplished ballroom dancer. Her husband, Jim, gave her the nickname Flame because her Mercury Marquis repeatedly caught fire and she had to have it towed. Until her marriage to Jim OBrien in 1978, her favorite thing to make for dinner was reservations! Jimmy and Jeff, who were used to their fathers Hamburger Helper and beef stew, changed all of that as they complimented Bettys ongoing culinary efforts. She loved those boys and the home she and Jim shared with them in Wills Point, where her pastimes were fishing and using the rider mower. Following her husband, Jims death in 1998, Betty moved from Wills Point to Mesquite and joined Sunnyvale Baptist Church, she met Boyce Mixon. In 2001, Betty and Boyce were married and enjoyed their final years of life together. Considering their love and devotion for one another, it is not ironic that their deaths were three days apart. Each of us has truly been blessed to have Betty as part of our life. Betty was preceded in death by her brother: Alvin Hemby. She is survived by her daughter: Beverly Pruitt Parrotte, step-sons, Jim O Brien and Jeff OBrien; step-children, Karen Reed, Nelson Mixon and Cindy Pedersen; grandchildren, Andrew Taton and Melanie Proshchenko; step-grandchildren, Nathan, Katy and Nicholas OBrien; great grandchildren, Paul and Julia Taton and Adam and Ryan Proshchenko; nieces, Barbara Jones and Janice Moffitt; nephew, Brian Hemby. Funeral services will be 2:00PM Thursday July 12, 2012 at First Baptist Meadowview 4346 N. Galloway Mesquite, TX. 75150. Family will receive friends at the funeral home 10:00AM-12:00PM Thursday morning at the funeral home. Interment will be at Grove Hill Memorial Park, Dallas, TX.