Obituary:  Betty Jean Clawson, December 12, 2009

Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines
January, 2010

Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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The Observer/Enterprise, Robert Lee, Coke County, TX - December 18, 2009

CLAWSON 

Betty Jean Clawson, 78,  passed away on Saturday, December 12, 2009, in 
Robert Lee Care Center.  Visitation was Tuesday, December 15, 2009, at the 
funeral home with the family present from 5 pm to 7 pm.  Graveside service 
was held at 2 pm Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at the Robert Lee Cemetery.  
Arrangements were made by Shaffer Funeral Home.

Betty Jean was born November 21, 1931, the fourth child of Wilson Frank Clawson 
and Odessie McCraw Clawson.  She is survived by her brothers, Wilson Frank 
Clawson Jr. of Moore, Oklahoma,  and Johnny Q. Clawson of Highland, Texas; her 
sisters, Christine Clawson Stewart and Mary Jo Clawson Storie; her “adopted 
children”, Roy Clawson, Jr.  of Robert Lee and Teresa Clawson Washburn of 
Midland, Texas; and by many, many nieces, nephews and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Wilford Roy Clawson, Sr.

She was born at the home place and lived there almost all of her life.  She 
was a very intelligent person, having graduated from Robert Lee High as 
salutatorian of her class of 1949.  After graduation, she attended Draughans 
Business School in Abilene, Texas.  She worked at Coke County Memorial Hospital 
for a number of years, then became an employee of Adams Abstract Company and 
later for Coke County Abstract until her retirement.  She was very knowledgeable 
about Coke County and abstracts in general.  She was often asked for 
her views concerning lands, leases, etc.

Betty was an avid Republican in a mostly Democratic County.  She ran the 
Republican elections for many years.  She received many letters for her 
outstanding work with the Republican Party but she was most proud of her personal 
letters from Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush.

Genealogy was one of her personal endeavors.  She researched the McCraw and 
Clawson families as far back as the 1600’s in Scotland and Ireland.  She and her 
mother, Odessie, compiled a book with all the information she had found.  
They made copies and presented them to the other brothers and sisters for Christmas 
in 1980.  She had done a lot of additional work on additions to the book, working 
until her health failed her.

Betty was a very caring person.  She took care of her “little sister” from age 
thirteen until she graduated from San Angelo Junior College.  She looked after her 
mother after her Daddy died in 1953, putting her own life on hold.  When her brother, 
Roy, became seriously ill, she moved to Roy’s trailer and helped take care of him 
until his death in July of 2009.  She and her mother raised Roy Jr. and Teresa 
(Roy Sr.’s children) from infancy until they were in their 
teen years.  She continued to be a big part of their lives until her death.
 
Permission granted by The Observer/Enterprise for publication
in the Coke County TXGenWeb and the Coke County Archives of the USGenWeb.