BETTY SUE PEABODY
June 7, 1941 - July 9, 2022
Betty Sue Peabody, 81, died on July 9, 2022 at her home in Houston, TX. She died after a battle with Pancreatic Cancer.
Betty Sue was born and raised in Longview, TX.
Her parents were Olga and Charles Hamner. She graduated from Rice University in 1963 and was the first woman to attend and graduate with an MBA from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.
She had a long, successful career in Financial Services and Banking beginning at W.R. Grace in New York, Citicorp in New York city, Rochester, and Oakland CA where she was President and CEO of a savings bank which City had acquired. She then moved to First City Bancorp of Houston where she was responsible for their statewide Retail Banking operations. After First City failed, she joined Mellon Financial
Corp first in Philadelphia and then in Pittsburgh. She then retired and joined her husband in managing private investments.
She met her husband, Art at the water cooler in the Finance Department at W.R. Grace, where both started their careers. They had a commuter marriage for over 15 years, while both pursued their careers.
She served on a variety of charitable Boards during her career including the United Way of Gulf Coast in Houston, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and both the Urban Affairs Partnership and the Police Athletic League in Philadelphia.
Following retirement, she has enjoyed spending time with her husband and their dogs at a vacation home in Colorado and at the old Wilson home in East Texas. She has been active in both locations in maintaining the landscaping around each location helping to make the Colorado location qualify as a “Firewise” location.
Over the years she has enjoyed having several dogs, each adopted from the Houston SPCA, her favorite charity. She has always enjoyed travelling to as many National Parks as she was able and is an accomplished assembler of jigsaw puzzles.
She was predeceased by her parents, her bother Joe and several aunts and uncles. She is survived by her husband of 52 years Art, a sister in law Shirley Roxburgh and her husband Charlie Roxburgh on her side, a brother in law Bob Peabody and his wife Diane Peabody and sister in law Nancy Von Burske and her husband Daniel Von Burske on her husband’s side and 2 cousins. In addition, she has two nieces and 2 nephews as well as 7 grand nephews and 2 grand nieces.
There will be a memorial service at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 2 pm on Tuesday July 19, followed by a reception at the church after the service. St. Paul’s address is 5501 Main Street in Houston, Texas. Those who would like to make a memorial contribution are encouraged to do so to a charity of their choosing.