Bettie Loper

Bettie Loper, age 95, previously of Baird, Texas, passed away on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at Faith Presbyterian Hospice in Dallas, Texas.  Graveside services will be held 1:00 PM Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in the Ross Cemetery Annex in Baird with Chaplain Kathi Edwards officiating. Parker-Jacobs Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Bettie was born January 28, 1927, in Rising Star, Texas, to Clifton and Henrietta Hord.  Bettie attended school in Rising Star and El Paso, completing her studies in El Paso. During the war, her father, Clifton Hord was a US Border Patrol officer and was stationed in El Paso.  While in El Paso, Bettie attended Community College taking bookkeeping and clerical courses.

On November 9, 1943, Bettie married Lt. Edwin Brashear, US Army Air Corp, in Brownwood, Texas.  She followed him to various training bases in the United States until his deployment to the Pacific.  Edwin was the pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber on February 10, 1945 when his plane was shot down over HaHa Jima, Japan.  Lt. Brashear was listed as Missing-in-Action for a year until the War Department listed him as deceased. Bettie and her family returned to the Baird area following the war.

On July 6, 1946, Bettie married Lee Loper at the First United Methodist Church in Baird. Lee served in the US Marine Corp during the war. They were married 64 years when Lee passed away in December 2010.During their marriage they lived in Dallas, Lubbock, Abilene and Clyde.  After Lee retired they enjoyed traveling around the country in their travel trailer.  They settled down again in Hale Center in 1978 until their return to Baird in 1986. During these travels Bettie occupied her time with her art work.  She was a talented artist and worked in the various mediums including oil paint and china painting.  Many families enjoy a personalized “Baby shoe” that she painted for the new babies.  While living in her retirement center apartment she would sew and create crafts and gifts for the other residents.  She always worked on a gift for each resident for Christmas.  

Survivors include 2 sons, Robert Loper and his wife Janet of Rowlett, Texas, and Tom Loper and his wife Brenda of Hutto, Texas; 1 sister Etta Lee Jones of Mission, Texas; 4 grandchildren, Brandon Loper, Kim Jones, Lisa Woods, and Traci Casey, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews .  Bettie was preceded in death by her husband Lee Loper as well as her parents.

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