Betty Carrier Criswell

Betty Carrier Criswell passed away April 27, 2012. She was born June 27, 1921, the only daughter of Hazel and Floyd Carrier, of Carrier, Okla. and granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Cherokee Strip Pioneers. She graduated from Carrier High School as Valedictorian of her class in 1938 and attended college at Oklahoma College for Women and Phillips University majoring in music. Betty won the State Championship in typing her senior year of high school; played organ and piano for the Carrier Congregational Church where she grew up, as well as for many of the Base Chapels where they were stationed during her husband's Air Force career. They lived in Tachikawa, Japan, and Goose Bay, Labrador, as well as several stateside assignments. She was active in Sigma Phi Gamma Sorority serving as president for chapters in Enid, Oklahoma City and Kansas City; she was also Province Secretary for Kansas and Oklahoma. She served on the board of the Base Wives Clubs wherever they were stationed as well as Chairman of the Tinker Retired Wives Club. She had many friends among the golfers in the area and she and her husband did a lot of traveling and golfing following his retirement. Charles R, Criswell, her husband of almost 49 years, preceded her in death in 1997 as did her parents and a granddaughter, Logan Taylor. She is survived by a daughter, Sally Taylor, of Washington, D.C. and son and wife, Tim and Shawn Criswell, of Portland, Oregon; four grandchildren, Erin Taylor; Noah and Connor Criswell and Evelyn Murillo; seven great grandchildren; Gwyneth, Ian, Henry, Kelby, Gabby, Presley and Riley ; one brother, Gene Carrier and wife, Maude, nephew, Stan and niece, Christi all of Oklahoma City. She was a member of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church in Midwest City and services will be held at 3:30pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at Smith & Kernke Chapel. Contributions may be made to The Malley & Henry Fund (OKC) or Epilepsy Foundation of Southeast Texas.