Betty Schwartz

Betty Jo Schwartz passed away on Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Roswell, NM, at the age of 94.

Betty was born on April 30, 1928, in Ballinger, TX to Lewis and Ollie Millsap.  Betty had 2 sisters, Thelma and Billie, and 4 brothers, Lewis Jr., Weldon, Roy, and Eddie.  She grew up in Hagerman, NM, and over her life lived in many places, including overseas.  As a teenager, she enjoyed sewing, reading, and roller-skating.   Her first jobs were at the Plains Theater in Roswell and later as a telephone operator.

Betty married her first husband Ray Phillips, Jr. on February 19, 1946, in Dallas, TX.  They brought 4  children into the world:  Ray Phillips III, Michael, Larry, and Melissa.  She and Ray lived in various places in the USA and abroad.  Ray died after a lengthy illness in 1958, so she and her 4 young children relocated to Roswell, NM.

Mutual friends introduced her to William “Bill” R. Schwartz and she remarried on October 8, 1959.  Betty bore 2 additional children with Bill: Gregory and Jennifer.  She and Bill were married for almost 63 years.

Betty’s husbands both served as officers in the US Air Force, so Betty and her family became well versed at moving their household to many locations including Colorado, England, Virginia, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii, and Kansas.

After retiring, Betty and Bill traveled extensively throughout North America in their motorhome, and also abroad to the British Isles, Europe, South America, and Russia.  For the last 20 years of her life, she resided with Bill at their home in Roswell, New Mexico, close to their daughter Melissa and her family.

Betty was exceptionally talented and accomplished.  She was not only a gifted homemaker, she was also a professional-grade seamstress and an artist.  Not only did she help to renovate and redecorate nearly every house in which she and her family resided, but she also accomplished much as a skilled seamstress and tailor, creating beautiful clothing for herself, her family, and friends.  Her talent created everything from formal wedding attire to children’s clothing and specialty items like Hawaiian muumuus with matching men's shirts.  Her hands were never idle as her work often continued into the evening as she created true works of art including embroidery and needlepoint, clown dolls, stuffed animals, and pieces of embroidered wall art.

Betty is survived by her husband, Bill, and 2 brothers, Weldon Millsap of Lovington, NM and Eddie (Marie) of Espanola, NM.   She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Yvonne Schwartz of San Antonio, TX.  Betty's children and their spouses also survive her, including Ray (Mary Ann), Michael (Kathy), Larry (Barbara), Melissa (Varney Brandt), Gregory, and Jennifer (Scott Kunis).  Betty's grandchildren and their spouses also survive her, including Mark (Cheryl), Paul (Lourdes), Sara Jane (Oliver), Janet (Chris), Coleen (Jay), Vicki (Andrew), Laura, Justin (Alla), Nathan, (Megan), Stephanie, and Stephen (Crystal), and great-grandchildren Ian, Zinnia, Daisy, Zachary, Matthew, Makayla, Jadyn, Jordyn, Lily, Alex, Amanda, Carsyn, Hunter, Colsen, Sava, Audrey, Connor, Devin, Aliah, Briella, Kash, and Jerzy.

Betty was a member of Grace Community Church in Roswell.  For many years, she and Bill enjoyed Sunday church services and Thursday noon Bible Studies.  Her favorite Bible passage was the 23rd Psalm.

A memorial service is scheduled at Grace Community Church, 935 West Mescalero Rd. on Saturday, July 23, at 11:00 am.  Interment will follow at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, 501 North Guadalupe St., Santa Fe, NM on Monday, July 25, at 1:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran School, 1405 North Sycamore Ave., Roswell, NM, 88201, where 7 of her great-grandchildren have attended school.