Betty Bills of Kerrville passed away December 13, 2021 at the grand age of 91. For those of you who had the pleasure of meeting her, you know what a creative, strong, and vibrant person she was.

Born to Thomas and Della Butler on March 27, 1930 in Graham Texas, she grew up on the family farm in Young County. In 1948, she married Jack Bills and, for their honeymoon, the young couple rode the bus back to Texas Tech. Following graduation, they lived in the West Texas oil patch and welcomed children Sharon and Richard. In 1954, the young family began the international adventure of a lifetime with a move to San Tomé, Venezuela with Gulf Oil. Six years later the youngest, Kathryn, was born.

For over 30 years, Betty created her family home in international locales…Venezuela, Bolivia, Kuwait, and Zaire. In 1984, she and Jack retired to Kerrville.

Betty was the consummate hostess and entertained often. Cocktail parties for visiting dignitaries, Supper Club, bridge parties, Christmas Eve open houses. The more the merrier! She loved to cook and learned to prepare global specialties…arepas, paella, salteñas, taboulli, hummus, and pili-pili. These were often featured at her parties and continue as standard fare at family gatherings. Her favorite season was Christmas when her dessert tables were laden with candies, cookies and her beloved fruitcake.

She was a storyteller and her home was the book. She was a fearless adventurer exploring local markets where she collected treasures for her shelves. Her eye for fascinating things was impeccable. When you visited, she would take you on a tour of the world. ''These jars are from Africa. These weavings are from Bolivia. You can't find Persian carvings like this anymore! I found them in a little market and bought the whole set!'' Each item held a memory of where she bought it, the artist who made it or the home where she had lived.

She always had an artistic project or ten, she was working on. Her home was filled with her own handiwork - Kuwaiti chests, quilts of African fabric, cards, weavings, ornaments made from gourds from her garden, pins from old buttons, rugs…each adding to the rich texture of her home's story.

She and Jack were members of First United Methodist Church where Betty served on the Bereavement Committee and with Lenten Lunches, and attended Women's Workshop. They faithfully attended the 21st Century Class. Betty also volunteered at Hill Country High School where she taught art projects to the students. She had been a member of Riverhill Women, Schreiner Ladies, the Kerrville Quilt Guild and the Hill Country Arts Foundation.

She kept in touch with friends from all over the world. She sent handmade cards for every occasion and her address book was one of her most precious treasures. Most anywhere she went she would run into someone she knew. From a Safari lodge in the middle of Africa, the Miami airport or the HEB in Kerrville, she would look up and say, ''I know her. I'm going over to say hello!''

Betty sounded like bangles jingling. She always wore them. She was elegant and always took care to dress for the occasion. She was the matriarch of our family. She loved Jack, her family and her friends. She left the world exactly as she lived it - on her own terms and surrounded by loving family. We will miss her deeply.

Betty was the last surviving member of her immediate family. She was preceded in death by husband Jack, sister Mary and spouse Red, brother Robert and spouse Kathryn and brothers Clinton and James Harold.

Survivors include Children; Bruce and Sharon Curry, Richard and Nancy Bills, Jon and Kathryn Albright, Grandchildren; Eddie and Rebecca Lewis, David and Karen Curry, Sarah Curry, Nathan and Nicole Bills, Rachel Albright, Madeline Albright Great grandchildren; Isabella Lewis, Zack Curry, Dylan Daniels, Taylor Daniels, Emersyn Daniels, Katharine Bills, Austin Bills.

Her life will be celebrated at a small family memorial gathering with burial in Red Top Cemetery in Young County later this year.

Memorials may be made in her memory to the First Methodist Church Kerrville, Hill Country Arts Foundation, or Kerr Arts and Cultural Center.

The family wishes to extend sincere thanks and appreciation to the Staff at 220 Harper Road and Peterson Hospice for their exceptional and loving care for Betty.

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