Betty Tyson Ligon Mallory

Betty Tyson Ligon Mallory, almost 90, formerly of Arkadelphia, died peacefully May 2, 2013, in Greenville, N.C. She was predeceased by her parents, Raymon and Lena Tyson, husbands, Bob Ligon and James Mallory, and a grandson, Jesse Ligon. Raised in Greenville, Betty and Bob lived in his Arkadelphia home (1945-1953), Pecos and Odessa, Texas,(1953-1967), and Phoenix (1968-1980). Betty was active in her six kids' lives, as a swim teacher, Cub Scout den mother, Brownie leader, Sunday School teacher, and serious motivator. After a 1980 divorce, she managed a tennis club and then moved back to North Carolina as the housemother at a girls' tennis camp. In 1985 she married Jim Mallory, retired Dean of Students at East Carolina University and baseball coach, and returned to Greenville. Jim died in 2001. Her children are Stark (Marianne) of Little Rock, Ross (Ellen) of Nigeria, Drew of Greenville, Gray (Gerhard) of Cary, N.C., Brooke of Fort Worth, and Grant (Mary Liz) of New Orleans. She also has grandchildren, Sarah, Stark, Miriam, Daniel, Grant, Avery, Amy, Holly, and Blake, and seven great-grandchildren with one on the way. Betty was a resourceful, active, and colorful lady, playing golf and tennis into her mid-80s. She backpacked across Europe for months with daughter Gray, was a tour guide in western National Parks, climbed 14,495 foot Mt. Whitney for her 61st birthday, and floated the Grand Canyon five times. For twenty years she drove cross-country every summer to visit her mother in Greenville. At age 47 she spent 25 days in an N.C. Outward Bound course teaching the much younger campers wilderness survival. She loved big hats, her trusty 1985 Toyota wagon with spinners, flea markets, and creatively displaying her acquired "stuff" everywhere. She graduated from Arizona State University at 50 with a physical education degree, and taught P.E. at a Phoenix elementary school for two years. She was a skilled hiker, camper, and tennis player, winning the N.C. Senior Olympics double titles at age 80. She loved her friends and family and said that she had had a wonderful life. She spent her last week volunteering at her favorite church activity, Spring Fling (a huge "used goods" sale), and she ushered at the early service on her last Sunday. Please remember Beautiful Betty and pray she has chocolate every day in heaven. She did not want a public service. Her ashes are being lovingly spread in her special places from North Carolina to Texas. Memorials: St. James United Methodist Church, 2000 E. 6th St., Greenville, N.C. 27858. The family contact is: starkligon@gmail.com. Online condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com.