Betty Smith Mallory

Longtime banker, civic leader, and active member of the United Methodist Church, Betty S. Mallory, 94, passed away Friday, June 9, 2023 at her independent living apartment in Austin, Texas. She will be buried in a private graveside ceremony at Sabine Cemetery (Smith County). Visitation will be in the sanctuary of Pollard United Methodist Church in Tyler on Friday, June 16, at 1 pm, followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. with Rev. Richard Luna officiating. Funeral services are provided by Stewart Family Funeral Home. Betty was born January 3, 1929 at home in northern Smith County—the 15th of 16 children of James A. and Bettie Smith. Her deep Christian faith guided her through a life of community service. She began a decades-long banking career at the Peoples National Bank (now Bank of America) in downtown Tyler. She worked her way up from secretary to one of the city’s first women bank vice-presidents. As a lifelong Methodist, she helped build Wesley Methodist Church (now Tyler First UMC) and later joined Pollard UMC, where she served as president of the theater board, sang in the choir, and taught a popular Sunday School class for many years. She also served as branch president of the American Cancer Society, and as president of the Senior Citizens Center during its infancy. She was a board member of the East Texas State Fair, where she established and guided the Academic Rodeo program. In 2012 the fair named her East Texas Senior of the Year. Her good judgement, perseverance, and positive attitude provided a role model wherever she served. Betty faced many health problems over several decades. Yet she lived every day to its fullest, with a minimal amount of complaining and maximum abundance of grace. She enjoyed music and live theater performances of many types. For 20-plus years she supported and managed her husband Tom’s well-known Western Swing band. While in her mid-80s Betty took up painting lessons at Meadow Lake Retirement Center where she lived and won ribbons at the fair for her work. She stayed close to her dozens of relatives in East Texas and beyond, organizing a popular annual family reunion after her mother died at the age of 99. An accomplished bridge player for 70 years, she played a full afternoon of bridge only four days before her death. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 60-plus years, Thomas Earl Mallory. She is survived by son, Randy Mallory and wife Sallie Evans of Austin TX; by son, David Mallory and wife Amy Mallory of Raleigh, NC; and by daughter, Pam Mallory Johnson and husband Von Johnson of Redondo Beach, CA. Survivors also include grandchildren, Evan Mallory and wife Leslie Mallory of Austin, TX, Elissa Mallory of St. Paul, MN, Stacey Branson and husband Adam of Raleigh, NC, Robert Mallory of Raleigh, NC, Mallory Honey and husband Michael of Long Beach, CA, and Samantha Van Der Wall and husband John of Valley Village, CA; great-grandchildren include: Elliot and Lincoln Mallory of Austin, TX and Violet, Henry, and Ava Pearl Branson of Raleigh, NC. Other survivors include her “ex-change student” son, Gerhard Frech and his wife Gudrun. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Sabine Cemetery Assn., Box 54, Lindale TX 75771.

Betty Smith Mallory

January 3, 1929 - June 9, 2023