Betty Tekell

Betty Jean Samford Blackerby Tekell peacefully passed away at the age of 94 in San Angelo on November 13, 2025. She was born December 23, 1930 in Desdemona, Texas, to Lucia Florence Looney Samford and Thomas LeRoy Samford. She had older siblings LeRoy, Jack, Pierre Samford, and half sister Geraldine Galbraith Collier. She graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1949 and married Arley Newt Blackerby, August 12, 1949 and they were married for 49 years. Newt and Betty were blessed with two children, Brenda Kay Blackerby Hiler and Kelly Lane Blackerby. They moved to Winters, Texas in the summer of 1960, Newt passed away in 1999 and she lived there until 2005. She married Cecil Tekell, February 11, 2005 and lived in Wingate until July, 2019 after Cecil passed away in December of 2018. Betty then moved to San Angelo to Lyndale Senior Living where she continued to be active and made many friends during her residency there.

Betty is survived by her daughter Brenda Kay Blackerby Hiler and husband Mark Hiler,(College Station), and their daughters Sally Hiler Cone and husband Matthew Cone (Houston), Susan Hiler Ovalles and husband Miguel Ovalles (Santa Fe, NM); her son Kelly Lane Blackerby and wife Vicki (Glen Cove), and their sons Alex Blackerby and wife Amanda (Eola) and son Andrew Blackerby (San Angelo).

She was blessed with six great grandchildren: Hess and Mark Cone, Newt and Katy Blackerby, and Roman and Ruel Ovalles.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Lakeview Cemetery in Winters, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to West Texas Rehabilitation Hospice in San Angelo.