Betty Jo Gray Pardue passed peacefully Friday, January 1, 2021, to be with the Lord at 90 years of age. Our Mom and Memmy was born January 20, 1930 in Bastrop, Louisiana to Waymon and Gladys Gray. She spent her childhood in Bastrop with her siblings Waymon, Jr. “Bub” and Marilou “Pie” Gray Parker. Betty and Dan Pardue united in marriage in 1947 and lived in Marion, Louisiana until moving to Monroe in 1962. Betty attended North Monroe Baptist Church.

Betty lived a vibrant life full of creativity, friendship, and love of family and nature. She volunteered at the North Monroe Hospital Gift Shop for many years making friends with everyone she met. She nurtured and shared her creative spirit through her painting, sewing clothing and costumes. She enjoyed making arts and crafts for her grandchildren in the family wood-shop, playing her piano and organ, dancing with friends, and cooking. She shared her love of nature with her family through fishing, camping, and caring for animals. She loved hosting her annual Christmas Eve family gathering, which she made magical with stories of reindeer on the roof, bingo games, playing and singing songs on the piano, and other family games. Betty’s joyful spirit and love of life continued to shine and thrive during her final years at Avalon Nursing Home.

She is survived by her daughter, Lou Pardue Stovall and husband, Sam Stovall; son, Van Pardue and wife, Ann; and daughter, Linda Pardue Walker and husband, Dr. Mike Walker. She is also survived by her grandchildren- Kim Stovall Schulze, Meredith Pardue Hewett, Molly Pardue Cloran, Vince Pardue, Eric Walker, Damon Walker, and Myka Walker Sims. She has sixteen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews as well.

There will be a family graveside service Wednesday, January 6th at Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery under the care of Kilpatrick’s Funeral Home. The service will be officiated by Dr. Mike Walker. In lieu of flowers and memorials, the family requests that Betty’s life be honored and celebrated in a way that reflects her giving spirit and simple, joyful life by sharing a random act of kindness with a stranger or by giving a flower to someone they love.