Betty Lou Claxton
Betty Lou (Langehennig- Shelton) Claxton (76) of Princeton, TX peacefully passed away on Monday, January 6, 2020 and is now celebrating eternal life in the presence of the Lord. Betty was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 1993. She underwent chemotherapy about five years later and the cancer remained in remission for almost 20 years. Late 2017, the CLL resurged and Betty gracefully endured oral chemotherapy treatment intermittently until the time of her death. Betty bravely battled both the CLL and treatment effects on her body; she lived the last third of her life with a severely suppressed immune system. Ultimately, her weakened body valiantly ended the struggle.
Betty was born on August 4, 1943 to Sutton and Ena (Loggins) Langehennig in Coleman, TX. Betty married young and was a fun-loving mother; she was always busy sewing and making crafts. Her daughters fondly considered daily life similar to an episode of “I Love Lucy”. Betty completed her GED in the early-1970s and began working outside the home. Her last place of employment was Bank of America in downtown Dallas until the effects of CLL required her to retire early. Betty lived in several places throughout her life, including: Odessa, TX; Oak Harbor, WA; Palmer, TX; Marietta, TX; Sulphur Springs, TX; and finally Princeton in 2017. Betty is remembered as being an independent person and hard worker. Betty enjoyed staying active and being around people; she had a witty sense of humor. Betty kept her mind busy with puzzles and reading her bible. Her favorite times were spent on the dance floor with Country music. Betty had a feisty competitive spirit, especially when she played 42 dominoes and participated in tournaments. She liked spending time outdoors during nice weather and enjoyed gardening. Betty also found joy in cooking for others, including her final Thanksgiving when she utilized all of her energy to prepare much of the holiday meal for her family out of love. Betty was happiest when photos and videos of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were shared with her. She was delightfully entertained by the family pets, especially Jay Leno the four-year-old Bichon Frisé rescue dog. Betty was a member of East Fork Baptist Church McKinney, McKinney Senior Center, and McKinney Senior Dance.
Betty was survived by her oldest daughter, Victoria (Shelton-Howard) Barney and husband, Thomas; surviving son-in-law Troy Nelson of Palmer; grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Heather (Howard) Cooper, husband Adam and daughter Harper of Waxahachie, TX; Tina Patak of Odessa, TX; Ashley Patak and son Christopher of Amarillo, TX; Justin Howard, wife Rachel (Fields), daughter Maggie, and son Lane of Waxahachie, TX; Hillary (Patak) Wells and husband Tim of Amarillo, TX; and Michelle Barney of Princeton, TX; and sisters: Marjorie Carter of Coleman, TX; Wanda Cox of Fort Worth, TX; Joyce Stacey of Saint Francisville, LA; and Patsy Carpenter of Saint Francisville, LA. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Richard Claxton, daughter Suzanne (Shelton-Patak) Nelson, newborn great-grandson Landon Patak, parents, sister Mary Smith, and brother Thurman “Joe” Langehennig.
Betty made the decision long ago to donate her body for the use of science; arrangements were made with UTSouthwestern Willed Body Program and she is now in their respectful care. In lieu of a memorial service, Betty desired that individuals wishing to honor her life give their time and/or monetary donations to support the needs of senior citizens or cancer research.
Betty’s family would like to express their sincerest appreciation to the following facilities and organizations for their compassionate care during her final years of life: all of her physicians and care team members at and affiliated with Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – McKinney, Baylor Family Medicine at Wylie, Texas Home Health, Culleoka Volunteer Fire Department, The Belmont at Twin Creeks in Allen, Baybrooke Village Care in McKinney, and finally, Medical City McKinney Medical Center Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.
