BETTY ALICE SHANNON,
92, of Little Rock, Ark., passed away May 13, 2020.
Betty Alice Shannon was born August 5, 1927, in Dumas, Ark., to Alice Mullis and Harry Villyard. She was raised by her grandfather, Roman Sanders Mullis and his second wife, Martha Elizabeth Pruitt, from the age of three. She moved to Greenville, Miss., and lived with the Shelby Foote family while attending Greenville High School. She then attended Southwestern College in Memphis.
Betty moved to Little Rock in 1962 when she found it necessary to work to support her daughter. At that time, she decided that any profession she pursued would have to be fun and that’s why she became a travel agent. She spent the next 40 years planning trips for corporations and individuals. Life for Betty was one big adventure that took her to far-flung destinations such as Papua New Guinea, Russia, Turkey, Nova Scotia and Japan. She gave the travel bug to her daughter Clare at the age of 13 when the two of them in the evenings would hand-write airline tickets, as it was done in those days, to exotic destinations. The two of them shared many travel adventures together throughout her life, mostly in Western Europe.
In 1987, one of Betty’s clients, a cattle broker from South Dakota, appeared unexpectedly at her travel office door. He asked her to lunch “to discuss his upcoming trip” and the beautiful romance between Betty and Bill Shannon began. They soon married and Betty and Bill lived in Rapid City, South Dakota for many years together where she spent the happiest years of her life. After Bill had a stroke in 1995, they moved back to Little Rock and she returned to the travel business that she so loved.
Betty had a wonderous and mischievous sense of humor, a melt your heart smile and a twinkle in her eye. She loved to plan and collaborate with others to throw a dinner party, participate in staging a musical, organizing a book club and community herb garden; she was plugged into life to the fullest and enriched the lives of everyone who had the good fortune to know her.
She is survived by one son, Dr. William Irby (Barbara) of Gallatin, Mo.; two daughters, Cindy Tracy of Little Rock, Ark.; and Clare Seyer (Frank Etter) of Ft. Pierce, Fla.; five grandchildren, Justin Tracy, Marnette Hays, Natasha Irby, Serena Irby, Antoine Seyer and five great-grandchildren.
She will be remembered as an incredibly giving and loving person who had a difficult early life that she rose above to become the generous and loving person that she was.
No services will be held at this time.