Betty Sue Castleman Hood,

of Arkadelphia, Ark., passed away on Wednesday, February 21st, at the age of 91. Betty was born May 5,

1932, in Hempstead County, Arkansas, to David Monroe Castleman and Sarah “Tennie” Maroon Castleman. She graduated from Mineral Springs High School in 1950 and Southern State College “SAU” in Magnolia, Ark., in 1953 where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education and later, a Master’s Degree in Library Science. Betty dedicated her career to education as either an English teacher or Librarian at Fairview, Murfreesboro, Lewisville, Lonoke and Smackover High Schools. She spent the last 23 years of her teaching career as the Librarian of Smackover High School. She was an active member of First United Methodist Church where she taught adult women’s Sunday school and was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma teacher’s sorority. After her retirement, she moved to Arkadelphia to be closer to family where she enjoyed gardening, genealogy, traveling, her church, working crossword puzzles, and spending time with her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby “Bob” Ray Hood; her parents; four brothers, David Monroe Castleman, Jr., L.C. Castleman, Jan Castleman, and Hoover Castleman, and two sisters, Lucille Castleman Cowling, and Mary Francis Jenkins. She is survived by three children, Paige (Lynn) Hood of Atlanta, Ga., Sarah (Frank) Hood Teed of Arkadelphia, Ark., and Jeff (Sarah) Hood of Fayetteville, Ark.; six grandchildren, Courtney Hood, Eric (Lindsey) Hood, John (Catalina) Teed, Elizabeth Teed, Will Teed, and Colt Hood, and one brother, Mike Castleman. Betty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and friend and a beloved teacher, librarian and member of her church and especially famous for her homemade pizza, and will be missed by many. A graveside celebration of Betty’s life will be held at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Arkadelphia at 11 a.m. on Monday, February 26, 2024. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Arkadelphia or Smackover.