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Bettye Maye (Howard) Davis

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Bettye Maye (Howard) Davis of Newport departed this life on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. Bettye was born in Johnstown on April 12, 1946, to Cecil and Alice (Camp) Howard.

She attended Arkansas State University in Jonesboro after high school, where she later obtained her B.S. in Computer Science and Accounting. She went to work for Brown Jordan as a Switchboard Operator, and later became one of the first computer programmers for Brown Jordan. It was at Brown Jordan that she met and married Ronnie Davis.

Upon the split between Brown Jordan and American Lantern Lighting, she moved over to American Lantern as the Manager of Data Processing and later becoming Director of Data Processing and Computer Programming. Bettye was the General Manager of American Lantern at the time of their closing.

After American Lantern closed, Bettye began a new chapter in her life as Payroll Officer for Arkansas State University Newport and later becoming Director of Human Resources. She retired from ASUN in 2013 and remained an avid supporter of her beloved Red Wolves.
Bettye loved almost all sports, especially if she or a loved one was playing. She was an avid bowler, softball player, and volleyball player.

Bettye and Ronnie were married 49 years and had three children, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Her passion in life was her family, the Newport Class of 1964, her community, and her friends. She would do whatever possible to help others. Bettye was a member of the Cherokee Street Church of Christ.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Ronnie Davis; her parents, Cecil and Alice Camp Howard; two brothers, Pete and Dale Howard; and one sister, Linda Howard.

She is survived by her children, Ron Davis, Jr., and wife, Debbie of Apple Valley, Calif., Jeremy Davis, Sr., of Newport, and Audra Davis Jennings and husband, Jerry of Pensacola, Fla. She is also survived by her brother, Gary Howard and wife, Wanda, of Denham Springs, La.; and a sister/niece, Patricia Smart and husband, William of Cord Charlotte.

Bettye’s special grandchildren are Alyce Elizabeth “Aly” Bennett and husband, Chris of Canton, Ga., Jake Jennings of Canton, Ga., Jeremy Davis, Jr., of Newport and Tim, David, and Joey Goodwin of Apple Valley, Calif. Her great-grandchildren are, Ava Bennett and Isaiah Bennett of Canton, Ga., Cassity Goodwin-McClellan, Ashlyn Goodwin-McClellan, and Matthew Davis of Apple Valley, Calif.; and one great-great-granddaughter, Paislee Ann Bacon.

Also, surviving Bettye are her special nieces and nephew, Rita Peterson and husband, Brian, of Oklahoma City, Okla., Kelly Isaacson and husband, Tom of New Orleans, La., and Mark Howard and wife, Karin of Newport. Last, but definitely not least, Bettye is survived by her more than a best friend and confidante, the “Thelma” to her “Louise”, Maye Dale Anthony of Newport.

Friends may visit at the funeral home, Wednesday, September 23, 2020, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Funeral services will follow at Jackson’s Newport Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 p.m. September 23, 2020, with Jim Cooper officiating. Interment will be at Memory Garden Cemetery at Johnstown.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Jake Jennings, Chris Bennett, Mark Howard, Kevin Pharis, Garrett Lassiter, and Corey Reynolds. Honorary pallbearers are the Newport High School Class of 1964, American Lantern company, and ASUN.

Bettye was loved by many and will be missed tremendously. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that you donate to the Jackson County Humane Society, P.O. Box 154, Newport, AR 72112.

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