Bettye Jean Koontz 92, of Palacios, passed away February 5, 2020. She was born December 25, 1927 in Minco, Oklahoma to Otto Horace Rogers and Sylvia Harris Rogers.

Bettye attended high school in Kansas, after which she moved to Chicago. She got into the newspaper business where she was able to socialize with celebrities including Cassius Clay, Sonny & Cher and Frank Sinatra. Bettye came to Texas in 1960 to visit family, and met and married Jim Koontz. She decided to leave the glamour of the big city, to stay in small-town Texas.

Bettye is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; daughter Kathy Laslie, and siblings Willa Koontz, Earl Rogers, Don Rogers, Wayne Rogers and Gary Rogers. She is survived by her children Pam Cornett, Scott Arndt (Seresa), Andy Arndt (Lana) and Becky Avila (Jose); siblings Patricia "Sissy"  Mayo (Ted), Katherine Miller, Marshall Rogers (Georgia), and Rita Nauman (Barry); grandchildren Brandon Rupert (Dorcas), Jared Arndt, Adam Arndt, Steve Gullett (Jayme), Leashia Kruse, Crystal Allison (Eddie), Eric Arndt (Angela), Christian Arndt, Tawny Birzer (Adam), Tamika Arndt, Leah Arndt, Alex Frausto (DeAndra), Jimmy Frausto, Jacob Frausto, Ty Sidney and Andrea Avila, and 16 Great-grandchildren. Bettye is also survived by her longtime caregiver Irma Zamarripa.

A memorial service will be held 2:00pm Monday, February 10, 2020 at Palacios Funeral Home with Rev. Shan Jackson officiating.