On June 18, 1962, Mrs. Elouise Williams gave birth to a daughter, Betty Lou, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. During her formative and young adult years, Betty resided in Lake Charles with her mom and siblings.

Betty attended Jackson Street Elementary, Reynaud Middle, and W. O. Boston High School. Betty was a very good basketball player, challenging the neighborhood boys and later her nephews on playground courts. In high school, she played basketball for W. O. Boston under the expert coaching of Herman Weston until graduating in 1979.

As a young teen, Betty became a member and was baptized at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Lake Charles. She later united with Brookhollow Baptist Church, the Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas.

Betty’s first job experience was through the CETA program in Lake Charles while in her senior year at W. O. Boston. She and her sister, Margie, later tried throwing rice sacks with their brother-in-law at the city docks, but they weren’t cut out for that.

Betty found her niche while working with preschool-aged children at a Headstart Program. While working for Headstart, she obtained her Child Development Associate certificate. Most of her work history was in childcare. She eventually tried retail sales but always returned to childcare. She was the first-choice babysitter for her friends in Houston.

It was in 1985 in Houston, Texas, that she met her husband to be, Gary Stringfellow. They were married in Lake Charles by Rev. Sidney Fontenot on June 14, 1986. They shared this union until Gary’s death in 1996.

Betty was preceded in death by husband Gary Stringfellow; mother, Elouise Williams; grandparents Curtis & Laura Augustus, Sr.; great aunts & uncles Bertha & Elijah Perry, Viola & Aldosia Hampton; aunts Mary Boney and Helen Augusta; uncle Curtis Augusta Jr; brothers Jerry Williams, Johnny Augusta, & Anthony Augusta; niece Doris Williams, great nephew Trey Augusta, along with several cousins.

Survivors include sisters Laura (Gerald) Nelson, Margie Augusta; several nephews and nieces, including Jerry, Jr. (Godchild) & Clarence Williams (Keisha), Gerald Nelson (Pearl), Anthony Augusta Jr. (Biesha), Rick (Laura) Augusta, Demetria Woolridge, Jacquelyn Key, Irene (Johnny) Madison & Jayla Augusta, and several great nephews, nieces, and cousins: the Augusta and Starlard families, and her friends in Houston, Texas.

We loved Betty, but God loved her best.

A celebration of Betty's life will be on Saturday, September 12, starting with Visitation at 9am and funeral service at 11am, both being held in King's Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Combre Memorial Park under the direction of King's Funeral Home.