Obituary of Betty Jean Rogers Rickards

     Betty Jean Roger Rickards August 5, 1951 - February 11, 2021 Betty was born to Mildred and Frank Rogers and raised on a farm in Cedar Hill, Texas. She was the youngest of three children, and the only granddaughter among four grandsons. Early on, she learned to sew and to play the piano, which became her lifelong hobbies. She met her husband, Don, shortly after finishing nursing school, and they were married in 1975. She and Don raised two daughters, Valerie and Rachel, who each have three girls themselves. As an avid seamstress, six granddaughters proved an ideal situation for Betty who filled their closets with her creations. Throughout her nursing career, she worked in a wide variety of roles: injection educator, nursing school instructor, school nurse, and staff nurse on many different hospital units.

     Betty was born a caregiver. In addition to caring for her parents, Don’s parents, her husband, Don, and helping to care for her brother, Joe, she also volunteered at crisis pregnancy centers, clinics that served homeless populations, and their church. Don and Betty were both passionate supporters of missionaries and mission agencies throughout their lives.

     Before Don passed away, Don and Betty traveled to many exciting places including Scotland, France, Italy, Egypt, Alaska, and Hawaii. After Don passed away, Betty moved in with her daughter, Valerie, and found a new caregiving role as Nana-- doing school drop offs and pick ups, and playing make believe with Shelby, Valerie’s youngest daughter. Betty was also a lifelong lover of animals, having had pet cats, dogs, and baby cows (as a child) so it was no surprise when Valerie’s cats quickly became Nana’s babies. After moving to Houston with Valerie, Betty had the opportunity to reconnect with her Texas roots, to see old friends (some of whom she had not seen in decades), and to drive to places she knew in years past. In the end, she went to see Jesus and her loved ones quickly and easily, with very little fuss-- just the way she hoped she would.

     Betty was preceded in death, by her parents, Frank & Mildred, her brother, Joe, and her husband, Don. She is survived by her daughters: Valerie Boyd, her husband Cameron, and their daughters Sydney, Serena, and Shelby; Rachel Tjoeng, her husband Han, and their daughters Evangeline, Elena, and Emilia; and her brother, Tom Rogers.

     A visitation will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2021 from 9:0 AM until 10:00 AM EST at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, 8461 Dixie Highway Florence, KY 41042. The funeral will begin at 10:00 AM. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, face masks are required, social distancing is encouraged, and 50% capacity will be limited at the church. The service will also be livestreamed via Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/2927892174121707/. Following the service, Betty will be laid to rest next to her husband at Hopeful Lutheran Cemetery in Florence, KY.

     In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the National Aphasia Association which supports a variety of aphasia diagnoses including Primary Progressive Aphasia. This has been an issue near and dear to Betty’s heart since Don passed away from PPA in 2017. https://www.aphasia.org/.