Obituary for: Betty Orms (Crenshaw)

A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel at Downs Funeral Home at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Marshall, Texas.

Betty Orms (Crenshaw) went to join the Lord on June 17, 2021.  She was born in Houston, Texas on August 4, 1932, to Olin and Opal Headrick.  Much of her childhood years were spent moving between West Texas oil fields since her father worked for Mobile Oil.  These frequent moves challenged her to make new friends frequently and resulted in her being able to skip two years in school.  She was a true student athlete as she also excelled on the basketball court also.  Shortly after graduating from high school, she met Truett Crenshaw.  The two were married and lived briefly in Waskom, Texas before settling in Marshall and raising three children Chuck, Pam and Mark.  Truett owed an Exxon gas station on Grand Avenue during these days.  The children enjoyed a wonderful childhood on Bridle Path for many years.

As the children got older, she went to work for the Phillip Baldwin and Doyle Curry law firm for a few years before beginning her career with the city of Marshall as the secretary to the city manager.  Over her twenty plus years with the city, she advanced to the position of Director of Finance and Personnel in charge of managing the city pension fund.  She periodically spoke of how much she enjoyed these times working with her office staff, the city manager, fellow division chiefs and the city commissioners.

Following the loss of her devoted husband Truett, she met and married Ed Orms, a retired Eastern Airlines pilot who trained his race horses on a ranch near Ore City.  She and Ed enjoyed international travel to China, Europe, Africa and Canada.  They also enjoyed life on the ranch raising hunting dogs, quail, pheasant and peacocks.  She was a Red Cross volunteer for over twenty years coordinating support to communities during natural disasters.  She and Ed also delivered Meals on Wheels for many years.  She cherished her long-time membership in the 20 ^th Century Club, a ladies' service organization, very active in community affairs and providing scholarships each year to deserving students.  She served as president from 2006-2008.

When not supporting operations on the ranch, she enjoyed fishing in their ponds, reading, writing a book on her personal experiences growing up in a changing world, or taking her daily walks on the country roads near the ranch with her two Great Pyrenees dogs Chief and Squaw.

Over the years her life was blessed by the Central Baptist Church of Marshall and the First United Methodist Church of Gilmer.

She will be missed dearly by all who knew her.  She is survived by her husband Ed Orms, son Chuck, son Mark and wife Melinda, sister Dolores Headrick, brother Lonnie Headrick, grandson Charles and wife Christina, granddaughter Kay Hunt and husband Jared, great grand children Kelby Shultz and husband Scott, Case Jones and wife Kristen and Kagen Hunt.

Proceeded in death by Truett Crenshaw, daughter Pam Crenshaw and daughter-in-law Lu Crenshaw.

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to the Red Cross or St. Judes.