Bette Joan (Edwards) Carpenter

Bette Joan Carpenter, 77, of Amarillo, died September 19, 2019. Memorial services will be 2:00 pm Tuesday at First Baptist Church Sanctuary, 1208 S. Tyler St. with Dr. Howard K. Batson officiating. Graveside services will be 10:00 am Tuesday at White Deer Cemetery with Tom Foran officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 pm Monday at Cox-Rowley Funeral Home, 4180 Canyon Dr. Bette was born September 4, 1942 in Amarillo to C.L. and Hazel Edwards. She graduated from Panhandle High School, and earned her bachelor degree in education from West Texas State University. She went on to earn her master’s degree in business education from WTSU. She married Cecil Carpenter in 1975 in Amarillo. Bette dedicated herself to education and higher learning. She taught at Panhandle High School, Randall High School, and Canyon High School. She also taught at Amarillo College and WTSU, retiring in 2002, after 40 years of teaching. Bette was named Educator of the Year for two years at WTSU, and served as executive secretary of the Texas Business Education Association. She served as WMU director at First Baptist Church for two years in the early 1990’s. She has been an active member of First Baptist Church since 1972. Bette was a talented singer, pianist, and organist. She was extremely creative, and was gifted in design. Bette’s family meant everything to her. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Ronnie Edwards. Survivors include her husband, Cecil Carpenter; two daughters, Lisa Neese and Leslie Lee both of Amarillo; and a step-daughter, Amy Beth Turner and husband Joseph of Columbus, OH.