Betty Lee Bounds Evans

1942 - 2019

EVANS, Betty Lee Bounds March 5, 1942 - November 6, 2019 Betty Lee Bounds Evans passed away peacefully at the Sodalis Dripping Springs Memory Care Community in Austin, Texas. She was born in a small farming community called Hampton, Arkansas, to Marvin and Leola Bounds. After Betty graduated from Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock (1959), she attended and graduated from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor's (1964) and Master's (1965) degrees in Education. Her distinction as an undergraduate is that she was elected as a Homecoming queen twice. Her career as an educator took her from coast to coast. First, at Maine School for the Deaf in Portland, then Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem, and Western Oregon University in Monmouth. Later Betty became director of the Gallaudet University Regional Center at Ohlone College in Fremont, California. She switched gears by embarking on a corporate career. She was hired by Sprint Corporation to be on the team to establish the pioneering Texas Relay service in Austin. After a successful implementation of making the public telephone accessible for the deaf and hearing people in Texas, Betty transferred to Sacramento, California, to become the Sprint Human Resources Manager for the Sprint Relay Call Center, where she and her group chalked up another meaningful endeavor. Texas beckoned her back through the efforts of Larry Dane Evans, who became her husband for the next 25 years. Betty also returned to her first love: Education of the Deaf. At Texas School for the Deaf (TSD), she became a Middle School teacher, her favorite teaching grade level. Due to her professional skills, leadership and experience, she became the curriculum specialist before moving up as an assistant superintendent of TSD. Her well-deserved retirement came in 2008. Betty and Larry did a lot of RV traveling with their two dogs while visiting their children, grandchildren, family, and friends. Proceeding Betty in death were her parents (Marvin and Leola Bounds), and three brothers (Dan, Joe, Jim). She is survived by her husband Larry Dane, her sister Billie Dumas (Ray) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, her children Lisa Oconnor (John) and their children (Max and Ben) of Livermore, California, Andy Wood (Kim) of Greenwood, California), stepchildren Lonnie Evans (Paula), and their children (Courtney, Christian), one great-grandson (Austin) of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Lisa Thompson (Alan) and their two children (Mayson and Justice) of Midland, Texas. In the minds and hearts of her family, colleagues, friends, and her husband Larry Dane, Betty was a vibrant, cheerful, lovely, intelligent, witty, graceful woman, wife, mother, grandmother, and dear friend to many across America. Wherever she worked, taught, or administered, she displayed a constant smile that became an integral part of her cheerful demeanor. A Celebration of her Life is slated for January 18, 2020 from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM at the Texas School for the Deaf's Deaf Smith Student Center. The family of Betty Lee Bounds Evans sincerely thanks the administration and staff of the Sodalis Dripping Springs Memory Care Community and Magnolia Hospice of Austin for the wonderful care given to Betty. Donations in memory of Betty may be made to her favorite grade level program, TSD Middle School Department. Donations can be made at https://tsdfoundation.org/how-you-can-help/#donate or be sent to PO Box 42727, Austin, TX 78704. For inquiries regarding donations, please contact Holly Hawk, Executive Director, via email at holly@tsdfoundation.org.