Betty Joyce (Sawyers) Vaught

Betty Joyce (Sawyers) Vaught, age 92, of Oak Leaf, Texas, passed away on July 23, 2025. Born on March 3, 1933, in Fairfax, Oklahoma, to Eugene Sawyers and Jewel Inez Hooper, Betty lived a life full of faith, love, warmth, and dedication.

Betty graduated from Fairfax High School in the Class of 1951, where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen, showcasing the joy and charisma that would define her life.  It was at the Fairfax Grill that she met the love of her life, William Robert “Bill” Vaught.  Their whirlwind romance led to an engagement just three days later, followed by a wedding soon after.  Their marriage was a beautiful love story, filled with adventure, partnership, and a shared commitment to God and family.

Together, they raised four children while navigating the journey of military life, living in multiple states and even overseas during Bill’s service in the Army.  Betty was a devoted homemaker and mother, always present and engaged in her children’s lives.  She was the room mom, Cub Scout den mother, and Girl Scout troop leader.  She taught her children to treasure home and family, to value education as well as adventure, and, above all, to love God and other people.

Betty was active in church, teaching Sunday school and leading her family in faith and worship in their own home services.  Known for her laughter and sense of humor, Betty was joyful, witty, and full of life, yet always the grown-up in the room.  Her kindness extended far beyond her family; her children’s friends were always welcomed with open arms and a warm heart.  She never met a stranger and had a rare ability to love people exactly as they were, without judgment.

Betty was also involved in her community, volunteering with the Red Hat Society, local library, hospitals, and the church thrift store.  She had a deep love of reading and crossword puzzles and delighted in discussing the books she and her husband read together.  She had an artistic spirit, enjoying landscape and nature painting, needlework, ceramics, gardening, and other crafts.  A lifelong animal lover, she also bred and groomed dogs over the years.  To her siblings, she was like a second mother — nurturing, supportive, and strong.  To her family, she was a guiding light.  To all who knew her, she was a treasured friend.  Her memory will live on in the many hearts she touched.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Jewel Sawyers, and her husband, Bill Vaught.  She is survived by her four children and their spouses, Cyndy Whiten and her husband Sam of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; David Vaught and his wife Debbie of Bella Vista, Arkansas; Becky Kodrin and her husband Louis of Waco, Texas; and Sally Fuller and her husband Don of Oak Leaf, Texas, as well as her three younger sisters, Frieda Johnson of Choctaw, Oklahoma, Deana Cooper of Ponca City, Oklahoma, and Judy Rivas of Pawhuska, Oklahoma. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, as well as numerous beloved nieces, nephews, other extended family members, and dear friends.

A memorial service and celebration of life are planned for a later date.

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