Betty Lou Whitley

Betty Lou Whitley, of Mexia, passed away at home on Monday, May 6, 2019, at age 73.

Funeral services were held Thursday, May 9, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Ronnie Dabney officiating. Burial followed in Fort Parker Memorial Park, Groesbeck.

Pallbearers were Dale Wood, Chris Parson, Bryan Parson, Wesley Hughes, Dustin Clark, Aiden Molina and Thomas Dycus.

Betty Lou was born in Groesbeck on July 18, 1945, to James Allen Eakins and Minnie Catherine Murdock Eakins, and grew up and attended school in Groesbeck.

Betty Lou was united in marriage with Olen Ray Whitley on July 2, 1971, and he moved her to his hometown of Mexia, where they lived the rest of their lives.

She worked over 30 years as a CNA at Haven Nursing Home in Mexia until retiring in 2009. She took her job seriously and took pride in her work and enjoyed the patients. She was in the initial round of trainees when the state began requiring the certificate program for nurse’s aides. She was a mentor to many who worked with her and inspired them to a career in nursing.

She was a selfless lady who took on the care and raising of nieces and nephews even before her own children were born. After work she was taking care of and spoiling her husband, cooking meals for him and the children and for the other children who came home with her children. She not only took care of the kids, she was very playful, right out there in the backyard with their Frisbee and other games. Although the kids called her Nana, she was also dubbed “hot-rod Nana” due to rushing them to school. She held a super-special place in her heart for the grandboys, A. J. and Aiden, and was close by, for them, all their lives.

Betty Lou was a member of South McKinney Baptist Church. After she retired, she took care of Olen and spent time with him everyday in the nursing home. She was the “glue” that held the Whitley family together, always ready to help with what anyone needed, whether taking care of the sick or just providing a ride.

Betty Lou was preceded in death by her parents; infant son Lance Ray Whitley; sister Mary Eakins; sister Linda Joan Eakins; brother and sister-in-law George “Washie” and Nina Faye Eakins; brother Buddy Eakins; and her husband, Olen Ray Whitley, in 2017.

She is survived by her son, Shannon Whitley, of Mexia; daughter Holly Molina and her fiancé, Dustin Clark, of Mexia; grandchildren A.J. Molina and Aiden Molina, of Mexia, Benjamin Whitley, of Mexia, Kingslee Clark, of Arlington, and Conner Clark, of Burleson; sister and brotherin-law, Rita and J.B. Jenkins, of Corsicana; sister-in-law Mary Helen Eakins, of Groesbeck; former but forever close son-in-law Freddy Molina. Also, those nieces who spent the most time with her, Jo Ann Eakins, Jennifer Davis, Brady Weinmann and Sarah Carpenter, and many other nieces and nephews, who all held a special place in her heart.

The family wishes to thank Virginia’s Hospice of Teague for their care and comfort during the past three weeks.