Betty Walker-Smith

Betty Walker-Smith was born Betty Lu Walker June 1, 1932 on a farm near Van Alstyne, Texas. She was one of seven children born to Ollie Ray (Ted) and Erma G. Walker. She is survived by two sisters, Sara Jo Gibbs of Arlington, Texas and Mary M. Rhodes of Dallas, Texas; nieces, Liesl Middleton, Tracie Murphree, Anne Lawrence, Sandra Barnhart, Kris Stevens and Donna Tileston; nephews, Mark Walker, Timothy Walker and Ben Walker.

She graduated from Van Alstyne High School and McMurry College, Abilene, Texas with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, with a Master of Science and University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona with a Masters in Education. Her teaching career spanned a total of thirty-seven years with the majority of those years with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Navajo and Pueblo Reservations. While there, she was promoted to the position of Education Specialist working out of the superintendent’s office visiting small, outlying schools assisting with language arts. She was married for many years to Charles Raymond Smith of McAlester, Oklahoma. She was a member of several organizations including Trinity United Methodist Church where she served on various Councils of the Administrative Board, United Methodist Women, Christ United Methodist Church, the American Association of University Women serving as Media Chair for AAUW-NM, state level served as Media Chair and Education Chair, Albuquerque Branch and as Lobbyist in Santa Fe for education and women’s issues including domestic violence and pay equity for women in comparable jobs with men, Friends of the Sandia Mountains, and volunteer at the Four Season Visitor Center at the top of the mountain, Friends of the Rio Grande Nature Center and volunteer there, New Mexico Conference of Churches Sustainable Energy Coalition, Precinct Chair and member of County Central Committee, Democratic Party 2012, Member of the Board, Del Norte Neighborhood Association, Sierra Club, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, NM Mountain Club and Outdoor Adventures for Singles. She was listed in the book, OUTSTANDING YOUNG WOMEN OF AMERICA, 1965 Edition, nominated by McMurry College, Abilene, TX, Bachelor’s Degree alma mater. She was an advocate for the land and the environment probably stemming from her childhood in the beautiful, rolling hills, black land farm area of North Texas. She was widely traveled over much of the world including eighteen foreign countries, a childhood ambition.

A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, March 24, 2018, 1:00 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, 6200 Gibson Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108.