Chris Bacile aka Bettye Sue passed peacefully after a short battle with cancer on January 16, 2013 at her home at Holly Lake Ranch. Chris was born to Frank and Mary Able Dorn RN in Sherman, Texas on March 13, 1934. She attended North Texas State Teachers College (UNT) and Los Angeles City College. Chris loved taking on life and challenging the status quo. She bought the first Thunderbird (Black Convertible) in the state of Texas and promptly won countless drag races at Perrin Air Force Base. She worked for City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Dept and then was hired away by the Tyler P&R to be the Program Director of Parks. It was there that she met and dazzled her future husband with her spirit and flaming red hair. She led the charge for swimming pools for all races and developed a swim program for the handicap children that ran through the summers. After marriage and the birth of her four children, her family moved to Richardson, Texas where she brought her own brand of high spirit to the Admission Office of the University of Texas at Dallas. She worked in the Admissions office for over 27 years, helping students with registration and became the degree plan evaluator for the university. Her UTD family meant the world to her and retiring was one of the hardest moves she ever had to make. No matter where she went or what she did, Chris left a positive mark in so many lives. She was also equally impressed and grateful for the many wonderful people that have come through her life on her journey. Her friends and family meant the world to her and she truly cherished the time she was able to spend with them. Following her retirement in 1999, she and her husband looked forward to spending weeks out of the year in East Texas at Holly Lake Ranch, reading and enjoying life. She cherished spending more time with her family, building strong bonds with her children, sisters and brother. For those who knew Chris, knew that her children and grandchildren were a great source of pride for her. She loved to brag about their successes in life and enjoyed hearing the stories her grandchildren would tell for hours on end. Chris also found peace and comfort with God as she started regularly attending Mass at St Thomas Catholic Church in Dallas and The Holy Spirit Catholic Church in East Texas. It was in her final months that God's grace helped guide her and her family through the final steps of her journey on earth. Our family is very blessed to have had such an amazing, strong, and compassionate woman in our lives. The example she created for us and her commitment to the joy of others will always live on in her family and friends. Chris is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Namie; Children Namie II (Nean) of Pagosa Springs, Colorado; Elizabeth Spivey and her daughter Shannon Shouse of Richardson; Michael and his wife Suzanne and their children Angela and Benton of Dallas. Her Sisters Mary Jane Mulkey-Krebbs of Holly Lake Ranch and Ginger Elliott RN of Sherman; her brother Frank and his wife Sherry of Arlington; and numerous Nieces and Nephews. She is preceded in death by her son Shawn Joseph and her parents. The Family wishes to thank the staff at Hospice of East Texas for their incredible grace and loving support through the final weeks of Chris' journey. The Family also requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd, Tyler, TX 75701 or the charity of your choice . Visitation will be held Sunday, January 20 from 6-8pm at Calvary Hill Funeral Home, with a Rosary to begin at 7:00pm. Funeral Services will be held Monday, January 21 at 10am at Calvary Hill North Chapel followed by the burial at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
Published in Dallas Morning News on January 20, 2013