Betty Nixon DeYoung, 84, of Houston, formerly of Port Arthur, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 20, 2015.  The family takes solace in knowing that she is now in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.  She was born on March 23, 1930, in Port Arthur, to Bertha Corkran Nixon and Barney Allen Nixon. 

Betty graduated from Port Arthur Jefferson High School in 1948 and she and A.J. were married on August 28th of that year.  She was a Proof Auditor at Merchants Bank and later an Internal Auditor for Sabine Bank until she retired in 1982.  Betty and A.J. moved to Estes Park, Colorado where they enjoyed their retirement for twenty years, before moving to Fredericksburg in 2003, where she lived until 2011 at which time she moved to Houston to be close to family and entered an assisted living facility.

Betty was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Port Arthur for thirty-five years where she served as a Sunday School Teacher.  She was a member of Estes Park Baptist Church and then became a member of First Baptist Church of Fredericksburg.

Survivors include her son, Jim DeYoung and his wife, Lauren, of Houston; daughter, Suzanne Walstad of Houston; grandchildren, Lauren and Kyle Walstad both of Houston; sister, Myrtle Dowden of Nederland; sister-in-law, Barbara Nixon of Bridge City; and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband of sixty years, A.J. DeYoung; parents, Bertha Corkran Nixon and Barney Nixon; sister, Hazel; and brother, Charles.

We would like to sincerely thank Janice Young and her staff at Serenity House and Janice Hoffman with Excel Hospice who cared for her with love and special attention.

A gathering of Mrs. DeYoung’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 26, 2015, at Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. Her funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 27, 2015, at Broussard’s Mortuary, Nederland with Dr. Don Higginbotham officiating.  Interment will follow at Memory Gardens of Jefferson County, Nederland.