Betty Ann Bibb Parish

Funeral services for Betty Ann Bibb Parish will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, April 24, 2026, at First Methodist Church Gilmer with Rev. Matthew Smith officiating. Interment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at 1:00 pm before the service. Arrangements are under the direction of McWhorter Funeral Home. Betty Ann Bibb Parish, known by her family as “Dadaw”, was born on January 7, 1937, in Marshall, Texas, to Joseph Hall Thompson Bibb, Jr. and Louise Sherrod Bibb. She passed from this life on April 18, 2026, at the age of 89. Betty married Welby K. Parish on November 22, 1957. She was a 1955 graduate of Marshall High School and a graduate of East Texas State University with a degree in History. She taught English and World History in the Gilmer school system for a number of years and then later served as a Title Examiner for Upshur County Abstract Office. Always a generous spirit, Betty devoted much of her life in the service of others, volunteering and helping those in need. She organized and was instrumental in creating the Upshur County Chapter of the American Cancer Society and served as its president for 2 years. She was a member of the Upshur County Hospital Auxiliary, serving in excess of 1500 hours volunteering. She also helped train candy stripers back when Gilmer had its very own hospital. During that time, she also helped install lifeline units and assisted individuals in their homes in the use of those units. Betty received 4 certificates for her dedicated service as a volunteer at Leisure Lodge nursing home. She became active in the Meals on Wheels program and spent many hours delivering food to folks who quickly became her friends. She was a president for the Dahlia Garden Club and worked to beautify the downtown Gilmer area by placing plants and flowers in planters around the square. Betty volunteered as a tutor through the Upshur County Literacy Council, where she assisted numerous individuals in receiving their GEDs. She was also a member of Friends of the Library and served as its secretary. Betty was also a member of the Upshur County Juvenile Board as well as the board of Sabine Valley Center. An accomplished artist, Betty received numerous awards for her paintings, including an award from the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs. In 1990, she received the Beta Sigma Phi First Lady award. In her later years, she became actively involved in the Upshur County Community Theater, acting in numerous productions and even directing one of the plays. She was always a “ham” and loved acting and singing. One of her most notable performances in her later years was that of “Daisy” in “Driving Miss Daisy”. She was in her 80’s at the time and wowed the crowd with what her kids would describe as an award-winning performance. Betty was a devoted member of the First Methodist Church and over the years served on the Administrative Board, taught Sunday School, taught Vacation Bible School, and sang in the choir. She also served on the Council of Ministries as the education chairman and the library chairman. In her library service she did a complete inventory of the church library and catalogued each volume and reorganized the card catalogue. Later in life, she enjoyed volunteering at the Clothes Closet with many of her good friends. But, perhaps the service she loved the most, was her dear exercise class, which she began at the Church. Originally, she led the class, but over the years, all the ladies learned all the routines, and the class no longer really needed a leader. Still, the group fondly referred to themselves as “Betty’s Girls”. She “led” this group of ladies for over 20 years, several times a week and it was literally one of the highlights of her life. Reflective of her generous nature, she and her late husband quietly donated the land that is now the site of the Gilmer Intermediate School, requesting that no publicity of this gift be made known at the time. This was a true testament to her benevolence and her love for education. She loved her children, worshipped her grandchildren, and was absolutely smitten with her great grands. Perhaps her strongest calling in life was that as a “Dadaw” and she wrote the book on that. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Welby Parish, and her brother Bob Bibb. Those left to cherish her memory are her children; Lauren Parish (Sam Baxter), Todd Parish (Sheri) and Blynne Powell; grandchildren, Keaton Box, Garrett Parish, Welby Douglas Powell, and Logan Traylor; great grandchildren, Adeline Parish, Aubri Parish and Eden Traylor; Nephew, Sherrod Bibb and Nieces, Charlotte McCollum, Belinda Drennan and Cindy Stewart. The family wishes to extend their love and deepest appreciation to the following ladies for the love, care, and tenderness they showed to Betty during her illness; Rose Hayden, Mary Allen, Karen Hopson, Alma Easley, Lindsey Beasley, and Rhonda Wall. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to the East Texas Food Bank, 2900 Signal Hill Drive, Longview, Texas 75602, or Newgate Mission, 207 S. Mobberly, Longview, Texas 75602. Please visit Betty’s online registration book at www.mcwhorterfh.com to leave a memory for the family.

Betty Ann Bibb Parish

January 7, 1937 - April 18, 2026