Loving daughter, wife, mother and grandmother, Betty Jean (Salisbury) Kithcart,75, died Oct. 20, 2023, surrounded by her family in her Keller, Texas home. A celebration of her life service will take place Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, at 4 p.m. at the Lucas Funeral Home, 1601 S. Main Street in Keller with the Rev. Suzanne Castle officiating.

The daughter of Howard and Ruth Salisbury, Betty was born in Big Spring, Texas, May 10, 1948. She moved with her family to Fort Stockton, where she attended public school. She was named Miss Fort Stockton before leaving for college. As Betty began her studies at University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 1966, she also represented Fort Stockton as a Sun Carnival princess.

She met her future husband, Daniel J. Kithcart, in college and the couple were married March 29,1969 in Fort Stockton.

Betty served as a bright example in every aspect of her life. She was persistent. When Dan was transferred overseas as an Air Force pilot, Betty returned to El Paso with her infant daughter, Karen, and finished her Bachelor of Science degree. Later, she pursued graduate courses at Texas Women’s University.

After her husband left the USAF, the family moved to Coppell, Texas. Betty was devoted both to Karen and her sister, Rebecca, as the family immersed themselves in community life. For 12 years, she taught seventh grade English at Coppell Middle School, enthusiastically coaching University Interscholastic League One-Act Play and Poetry events and sponsoring cheerleading and Student Council. She also shared her vibrant faith, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at the First United Methodist Church of Coppell.

As her daughters entered college, Betty and Dan moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she began an adventurous new career as a Southwest Airlines flight attendant. After the couple relocated to Southlake, Texas, she became a realtor. That profession led her to discover property in Keller on which to build a retirement home.

In all her professions and hobbies, Betty’s life was driven by her love for her Savior, her family and friends. The couple became members of Gateway Church, serving in the greeter ministry and hosting a Life Group in their home for many years. Whatever she was doing, Betty could always be counted on to do her best in every task she attempted and to persevere through difficult health challenges.

Her daughters give thanks for the many loving and encouraging lessons their mother taught them and fervently hope to continue her legacy. She shared with them the joy of preparing creatively for family holidays. She instilled in them a lifelong love of learning and reading. She assured them they could be successful at any career path they wanted to follow. She adored and supported her daughters and her four grandchildren in every endeavor — from sports events to band concerts, from birthday parties to family trips to Hawaii and Disney. Perhaps most important, she taught her family to love and serve Jesus Christ. The hole her

absence leaves in her family’s hearts is indescribable, but they trust in Christ’s promises that they all will be united again.

Betty is survived by her husband of 54 years; her daughters, Karen (Wayne) Stoltenberg and Rebecca Gomez. Her grandchildren are Cassie and Blake Stoltenberg and Alex and Aaron Gomez. Also surviving Betty are her brother Tom Salisbury (Susan) and her sisters Anne (Brian) Gilley and Kay (Steve) Castle. Numerous relatives from the Kithcart family also survive. She was predeceased by her parents, her parents-in-law, Richard and Raelee Kithcart, her nephew, David Castle, and her son-in-law John Gomez.

Those who wish to send memorials may support the charity of their choice or Heart for the Nations, PO Box 1861, Keller, TX 76244.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” - Proverbs 31: 28-29.