Betsyana Patterson Conlee

Betsyana (Betsy) Patterson Conlee passed away on the morning of September 15, 2021. To celebrate a life well-lived, the family will hold a memorial celebration on Sunday, September 19 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, at 6101 Bosque Blvd, Waco, Texas. Visitation will begin at 3:00 pm with the memorial service following at 4:00. Betsy was born in Bryan, on February 16, 1928, to R. Pat and Rose Miller Patterson. She graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1945 and attended Texas State College for Women (Texas Women’s University) in Denton. After college she worked for the Director of Athletics at Texas A&M University until her marriage in 1949 to Douglas M. Conlee, of Bryan. Betsy and Doug were married for fifty-two years until Doug’s death in December 2001. Three daughters were born to the marriage – Cynthia Conlee Marable, Nan Conlee Felton and Kim Conlee Hatchett. Betsy’s daughter Nan proceeded her in death in April 2012, as did Betsy’s parents, one sister, and two brothers. In 1958, Betsy and Doug Conlee moved their family to Waco, where Doug was the President of Conlee Seed Company, a wholesale seed company with Texas locations in Waco and Plainview, as well as a location in Guadalajara, Mexico. Betsy was a member of First Methodist Church in Waco. Surviving Betsy are her daughters, Cynthia Conlee Marable, of Waco, Kim Conlee Hatchett and husband, Richard, of Midland; and son-in-law, Tom Felton, of Waco. Betsy leaves behind five grandsons – Mark Felton, Clayton Felton and wife, Jennifer, Hayden Cox, and Brandon Marable, of Waco; Blake Marable and wife, Amy, of Dallas; and Cameron Hatchett (USN) and wife, Rhonda of Groton, Connecticut. She is survived by two granddaughters – Carey Marable Cox & husband Jon, of Bryan, and Kaitlin Hatchett Davis and husband, Trenton, of Allen, Texas. Betsy leaves behind eighteen great-grandchildren – Boots and Taylor Felton, Conlee and Tucker Felton, Wills Marable, Ashton Edwards, Caden Morphis, Sterling and Jonathon Cox, Emery Kate, Molly, Lucy and Burson Marable, Mason, Craig and Logan Hatchett and Clara Elaine Davis, in addition to eight nieces – Pat Patterson Arledge and husband, Jimmie, of Richardson, Texas; Lynda Patterson Rice and husband, Roger, of Ft. Worth; Billye Patterson Yaklin of Wheelock, Texas; Kay Conlee, Kathy Conlee Keefer & husband, George, and Betty Conlee Richter of Bryan; Caren Conlee Atkinson of Weatherford, Texas; and three nephews – Michael McGee & wife Carolyn, Mark Conlee & wife, Cathy, and Craig Conlee & wife, Carol, of Bryan. Betsy, Grandma Betsy, GG was the matriarch of the Conlee family and the ultimate hostess. Her favorite thing was having friends and family for meals and holidays in her home of fifty-four years on Royal Oaks. Thank you to Dr. Wayne Falcone, Dr. Adam Falcone, Nurse Missy, and Dr. Gary Barbin for years of amazing care. She was blessed by so many, but Betsy truly wanted to thank Barbara Harris for her “invaluable friendship and unwavering loyalty” and for being such a huge part of her life for the last fifty-four years. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials can be made to the First Methodist Church of Waco or Community Cancer Association, P.O. Box 5002, Waco, TX 76708. The family invites you to share a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.