Betty Courson Whitworth
Betty Courson Whitworth, 95, of Hamburg, died Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Mrs. Whitworth was a native of Fort Smith and a resident of the Promise Land Community east of Hamburg for most of her life. She moved to Atlanta, Texas in 1999, having moved back to Ashley County in 2017. She was a Reading Teacher at Noble and Allbritton Elementary Schools and a School Bus Driver for 19 years. She was a member of the Promise Land Missionary Baptist Church and a former member of the Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta, Texas. Mrs. Whitworth enjoyed gardening, canning, traveling and cooking for her fellow teachers.
She is preceded in death by her husbands, Harry “Doc” Courson in 1979 and Lewis Whitworth in 2015; her parents, John and Cora Harris Crittenden; three brothers, Harris Crittenden, Jack Crittenden and John Harold Crittenden; a sister, Wanda Brooks and a son-in-law, Davis Myers.
She is survived by three daughters, Harriet Myers of Atlanta, Texas, Renee Hackworth and husband, Garret, of Crossett and Betty Sue Parker and husband, Danny, of Bella Vista; a son, John Courson and wife, Sancy, of McGehee; three step-daughters, Margaret Hall and husband, George, of Atlanta, Texas, Sherry McCasland and husband, Tim, of Bloomburg, Texas and Brenda Whitworth of Orange, Texas; two step-sons, Lloyd Whitworth and wife, Judy, of Kennewick, Washington and Larry Whitworth and wife, Nanette, of Atlanta, Texas; a sister, Doris Watson of Atlanta, Georgia; 10 grandchildren, Jason Hackworth and wife, Nicole, Melissa Toon and husband, Jim, John Harris and wife, Nichole, Shana Ward and husband, Randy, Josh Courson and wife, Katie, Chris Courson and wife, Mandy, Matt Courson, Ashley Knight and husband, Scott, April Toole and husband, Daniel and Stephen Parker and wife, Lauren; 25 great-grandchildren, Alex Hackworth, Morgan Bucko, Jordanne Hackworth, Katy Streeter, Bailey Toon, Ila Toon, Madison Dykes, Hannah Harris, Kelsey Miles, Angela Ward, Jack Courson, Maeve Courson, Presley Courson, Haysley Courson, Millie Courson, Parker Knight, Beckett Knight, Griffin Toole, Tucker Toole, Charlie Toole, Sadie Toole, Oaks Parker, Birdy Parker, Cade Swanson and Brendan Swanson; five great-great-grandchildren, Rylin Swanson, T.J. Swanson, Weylan Adair, Lydia Miles and Hannah Miles and a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 3, 2020, at the Promise Land Cemetery Pavilion with Bro. Josh Luellen officiating. Honorary pallbearers were Jason Hackworth, Jim Toon, John Harris, Randy Ward, Josh Courson, Chris Courson, Matt Courson, Scott Knight, Daniel Toole, and Stephen Parker. Memorials may be made to the Promise Land Cemetery Association, c/o Lindsey Brooks, 427 Ashley Road 70, Hamburg, AR 71646. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Jones-Hartshorn Funeral Home of Hamburg, Arkansas. Online guestbook, www.jones-hartshorn.com.