Betty Jean Norvell Downs
Betty Jean Norvell Downs was born March 10, 1928, in San Francisco, California and passed away May 28, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her parents were Driskill A. (Dan) and Clarissa Norvell.
Betty moved to Texas with her parents in 1942. She first attended Nederland High and made several lifelong friendships, joining in Nederland class reunions over the decades. They later moved to Beaumont where she graduated from Beaumont High in 1945. Betty married Tony Downs in January of 1945, and they settled in Beaumont after the war. She first worked in Mr. Thomas Lombardo’s shop downtown for a few years, and later worked for Pittsburg Plate Glass, where she also made lifelong friendships. During the 50’s to early 70’s, as they began raising their family, she helped her husband with his plumbing company, and had a fabric store for a while called The Fabric Garden.
In the mid 70’s Betty began working full time, later retiring in 1992 from PageNet in Houston, where she’d transferred for several years. She moved back to Beaumont to be close to family again and worked part-time for Burns Properties for over 20 years. During retirement, while also having more time for her favorite hobbies, cooking and sewing/quilting, she found great joy in being a grandmother, and also enjoyed spending time with friends, traveling, and being in Bible Study Fellowship for seven years. Many years ago, she was a member of Westgate Church of Christ. Over the last 30 years she attended First Christian Church of Sour Lake, then was a member of Northwood Christian Church, later moving her membership to Calvary Baptist Church. Betty made good and lasting friendships wherever she worked or attended church.
Most recently she had moved to Colorado Springs with her daughter, Deborah.
Betty treasured her family and friends, and among other things, especially enjoyed cooking, sewing, games, and traveling. She was fun-loving and generous, especially with her tasty recipes. Betty was a Christian and would often say in recent years that God is good; that He’d taken care of her all her life, even when she didn’t know it at the time, and she knew He would always take care of her.
Betty was an only child but had quite a few cousins, whom she loved dearly. She is survived by her daughters, Deborah Waguspack and husband Michael; Clara Storey and husband Gary; grandchildren, Jace Waguspack and wife, Jessica; Grant Waguspack and wife, Sarah; and Amanda Williams and husband, Wade; and great-grandchildren, Luke and Autumn Waguspack (Jace’s); Joshua Ashe, Iris Mase, and Rachel Waguspack (Grant’s). She is preceded in death by her son, Anthony C Downs, III; and her former husband, Anthony C. (Tony) Downs, Jr.
A gathering of Mrs. Downs’ family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 9, 2023, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Broussard’s, Beaumont, with her interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
Video
Gathering of Family and Friends
Broussard’s Mortuary McFaddin Ave.
- 2000, Mcfaddin Avenue, Beaumont, Texas, 77701,
- June 9, 2023
- 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Funeral Service
Broussard’s Mortuary McFaddin Ave.
- 2000, Mcfaddin Avenue, Beaumont, Texas, 77701,
- June 10, 2023
- 10:00 am
Interment
Forest Lawn Memorial Park
- 4955, Pine St, Beaumont, TX, 77703,
- June 10, 2023
Betty was a precious friend and mentor in the faith! She was so friendly and outgoing, always ready with a smile and a greeting. She was very talented and generous in sharing those talents. She and my husband shared a fun, bantering relationship that kept them both laughing. But Betty and I shared a sweet sisterhood in Christ. I’ll miss her very much and hold her family close in prayer. Love you all.
Aunt Betty holds a special place In my heart!! Always a story to tell and a recipe to share!! Loved the visits we had over a cup of coffee that would last for hours!! She left a big footprint to fill and left a beautiful family to walk in them! My love and prayers goes out to you all at this difficult time! I’m sure she’s at rest with our Lord! I remember her visits to my store at Christmas and her love for the smell of Christmas!! She could sure light up a room !! Keep her memory fresh in the minds of the young and her traditions alive!! I would love to have some of her recipes to share with my family!! Love and Prayers , the other Clara!!
Dear Family, So sorry and sad to hear about Betty’s passing. She will always be in our hearts. Betty was a dear friend to me. She was the best boss and leader I ever had. She loved her family so much. She was full of love and kindness. When I got married, she sent me a lot of her recipe’s in a book she made for me. We loved sharing recipes. Betty was an excellent cook. Especially her coconut cream pie. Love you Betty. Love to all the family
Betty was a beautiful woman inside and out. She always felt like a second grandma to me and her sense of humor and love of her family will have a lasting impression on me.
Betty was such a dear lady. I knew her at work for many years. She so adored her daughters and grandchildren and great grandchildren as they began arriving. After she moved the Colorado with family, we stayed in touch, texting. We were visiting just before she passed the other day. Much love to all the family.
Thank you all for your kind words, they are much appreciated. Grandma was an amazing woman, strong-willed, not afraid to speak her mind & so full of faith. She loved us all so much & we loved her back, she will be missed ????. But I know she is in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ & we will see her again someday.
Betty was a wonderful lady and I enjoyed working with her so much. She was dedicated to her job and a good friend to many. She loved being with her children and grandkids. She loved to bring lovely deserts to work and office enjoyed them. She was sharp as a tack in her latter years. She will be missed.
I am so sorry to hear of Bettys passing, she was a joy to work with. She always talked so fondly of her girls, son in laws and especially her grandchildren, she loved you all so very much. We will miss Betty and her RED pen.
What a long and adventurous life!
She was just Aunt Betty to me. I remember often times she would be at my parents’ house when I visited (when she lived next door to them). I can vividly remember her sitting beside my mother on the piano bench and the two of them playing piano together. They would play games together in my childhood and later, her and mom would play scrabble. I could go on and on with the memories.
I am so grateful to have re-connected with Aunt Betty in the last few years and I will cherish the visits and phone conversations that we had. I will miss those talks.
My thoughts and prayers are with her girls and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren now. As much as I know I will miss her presence, I know that they will miss her presence in their lives oh so much more. I pray that each treasured memory will bring them comfort and that they have peace that surpasses understanding that only God can give.
Debbie and Clara….I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Mom. What a wonderful blessing to have had her in your life to share all of your life joys and adventures. She was always kind to me.