Evelyn Mae Wall

Bettis

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IN LOVING MEMORY

Evelyn Mae Wall Bettis

Feb 28 1921 - Jan 02 2010

Evelyn was born February 28, 1921 in McCormick, South Carolina to Alberta and Tom Wall and died peacefully at her home on January 2, 2010, surrounded by her loving family. She was the youngest of eight children. Evelyn was a natural beauty inside and out, an arresting blonde with a magazine cover face and a dimpled smile. Her kindness, generosity, compassion, loyalty, honesty, trustworthiness, and above all, her integrity characterized this amazing lady. With all of the words used in describing her, the most common was “Angel”. At the age of ten her life dream was to be an actress and a mother. She graduated valedictorian from high school and received a full scholarship to attend Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, where she majored in English and minored in drama. While in South Carolina she entered a national contest for Liberty Magazine and won Miss Liberty Bell. She then went to Teachers College at Colombia University in New York City for her teaching degree. Her start as an actress was amazingly easy. She was scouted by both theatre and movie agents. Evelyn was signed by famous New York producer George Abbott, and he immediately cast her on Broadway in “Kiss and Tell”, where she co-starred with Kirk Douglas. After the show ended, she joined Raymond Massey to play Emily in “Our Town” in a USO tour. Evelyn appeared throughout England, France, and Germany. Her stage name became Carolyn Wall while in London to avoid confusion with another actress. She also played the title role in a steady television show, “Mrs. Drake’s Diary.” While Evelyn was in the Red Cross Club in Rheims, France, she met Lieutenant Roy Bettis of Dallas, whom she married weeks later in New York City. They moved back to Dallas soon after. Evelyn became involved with the Margot Jones Theatre. Her audience not only found her beautiful and charming, but applauded her schooled diction and thorough mastery of acting techniques, with her gift of simplicity and sincerity. Once DMN columnist John Rosenfeld wrote, “For certain roles, she is not only as good as you can want, but often the best you can ask!” While her accomplishments were many and successes great as a professional actress, she put her career to the side to fulfill her other dream of being a mother. Evelyn’s greatest joy came from being a wife and mother. She considered her greatest achievement raising three children, strong in their Christian beliefs and living Christian lives. She was a member of Brook Hollow Golf Club, Dallas Women’s Club, Marianne Scruggs Garden Club and her precious Lucy Tennis Group. She is preceded in heaven by her five sisters and one brother, as well as her beloved granddaughter, Rebecca Valerie Bettis. Evelyn is survived by her sister Cleo Cope, son, Holt Bettis, his wife Chris, daughter Valerie Evelyn Krause and her husband Kent, and daughter Carolyn Wall Berry and her husband Jim. She is also survived by ten loving grandchildren, Brinn Bettis, Caroline, Brett, Katherine and Blake Krause, Chris, David and Jack Conger and Jimmy and Ali Berry, and numerous nieces and nephews. The Family extend their gratitude to her caregivers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Faith Presbyterian Hospice. A Memorial service will be held at Highland Park Presbyterian Church on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Epworth Children’s Home, P.O. Box 50466, Columbia, SC 29250.

Memorials

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