Bettie Cook Garner, 79, of Denton, Texas, passed away on December 14, 2022, in Denton. She was born in Melvin, Texas, on December 31, 1942, to George Edward Cook and Verna Mae Cook.

Bettie grew up in Moody, Texas, where she was a star student, athlete, and student leader. When Bettie was in high school in Moody, she met Kendall Layton Garner, the son of her homemaking teacher and mentor, Variel Garner. They began dating and fell in love. Bettie was a year ahead of Ken in school, so after he followed her to North Texas State University in 1961 where they were both pursuing degrees, they married and started a family.

Bettie earned several degrees and certifications, and she taught English, Spanish, and homemaking in Denton. She transitioned to guidance counseling and eventually administration. She ended her 30+ year career with the Denton Independent School District as an assistant principal at Ryan High School.

Bettie and Ken had three children and many adventures. They loved camping, snow skiing, watersports, and traveling to see their many friends and family. Their most notable venture was taking their young family to live in Tehran, Iran, in 1976, where Ken worked for Bell Helicopter International. Bettie took care of the kids there and even got a job at the preschool on the military base where she could take young Jay with her to work while Tiffany and Paige attended the Tehran American School. They lived in Tehran for two years, moving back to Denton in 1978. Ken died unexpectedly six years later in 1984. Bettie continued to raise their children and put them through college, leaning on precious family and friends for support.

In 2003, Bettie met Joe Craig, who was Scottish but spent most of his working life in Australia. They soon married, and Joe emigrated to the United States to live with Bettie in Denton. Since they were both retired, they took many trips and traveled the world together. They loved cruises, and they loved visiting their many friends and family all over Texas and Australia.

Bettie and Joe were both diagnosed with cancer this past summer during the same week of July. Bettie died at the hospital on December 14, early in the morning, and Joe died a few hours later at their home, both under hospice care and surrounded by loved ones.

Bettie is survived by her daughter Tiffany Sedate and husband Sonny of Oak Point, daughter Paige Bresnahan and husband Steve of Denton; son Jay Garner and wife Amanda of Aledo;  brother Eddie Earl Cook and wife Beverly of Heidenheimer; brother Garland Wayne Cook and wife Elaine of McGregor; and eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Bettie is preceded in death by her parents and her first husband, Ken Garner.

A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Denton, Texas, on December 20, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in Bettie's and Joe's memory to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. ( https://www.lls.org/ )