Virginia Merle Bethell

Virginia Merle Bethell was born in India, Texas on November 8, 1925, to parents Harvey and Abbie (Watson) Lonon. She had 2 brothers Winiford and Frank and 4 sisters, Dorothy, Willie Louise, Mary and Pat. She married Joe Bethell on May 25, 1946, after only knowing him for 3 weeks, it must have been love at first sight. They were together until his death on May 25, 1996, exactly 50 years. Merle was not only Joe’s loving wife, but a wonderful and unselfish care giver, for he was ill the last 25 years of their marriage. She had her first child, Michael Joe, in August of 1950 and Janice Annette was born in February 1956. While raising two kids, she had many jobs… Teacher, Master Chef, Nurse, Seamstress, Homework Dictator, PTA Member, Bookkeeper, Butler, Maid, Psychologist, Chauffeur, a Fan of Lancaster football, track, cheerleading and drill team...just to name a few. At the Lonon/Watson Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, family fought over her famous Fried Chicken, Banana Nut Cake and Italian Cream Cake. Merle enjoyed going to the horse races with her sister Mary and playing Bingo and card games with her sister Pat and friends. In April 2004, she survived surgery of a cancerous tumor removed from her neck. Later emphysema and asthma (COPD) caused her to need oxygen 24 hours a day. As her COPD worsened she became homebound, only leaving her house for doctor appointments or family holiday parties. Merle moved to Bellaire, Texas to live with her daughter and family in mid August 2007. On August 24, 2007, she had a stroke, but recovered with minimal side effects. The last three years of her life, Merle became a TV junky. She loved to watch Wheel of Fortune, Deal or No Deal, The Price is Right (the Game Show Channel), Regis and Kelly, Ellen, American Idol, Dancing with The Stars, The Bachelor, The Bachelotette, and any romance movie. Merle’s all time favorite movie, which she watched at least 30 plus times, was “Dirty Dancing” with Patrick Swayze. On Sunday October 17, 2010, Merle was tired of fighting a month long battle with pneumonia so she shut her eyes and quietly slipped away to be with her Lord and Savior. She is survived by daughter Annette (Thomas,Jr.) Noble; son Mike (Kelly) Bethell; grandchilren Victoria Noble, Charece (Chris) Robbins, Bryan Bethell, Taylor Bethell, Heather Copeland; great grandchildren Colby Jones, Cade & Carleigh Robbins, Katelyn & Rebecca Copeland; sisters Patricia Hollaway & Dorothy Burnett. Merle was a loving and caring wife, mother, granny, aunt, daughter, and friend. She will be missed by all that knew her.

Virginia Merle Bethell

November 8, 1925 - October 17, 2010