Bettye Armstrong

Sister Bettye Jean Armstrong was born on December 26, 1944, in North Little Rock, Arkansas.  She was one of nine children born to Hiawatha Sr. and Cordelia Kelly Givens.  Her parents and five siblings (including a twin brother Billy) preceded her in death.

She grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas and she confessed Christ at an early age and united with the Morning Star Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas, where she sang in the choir growing up.  She attended S. A. Jones High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas, where she was an outstanding basketball player and sang in the high school choir.  She graduated from high school in 1962. She then moved to Oakland, California and stayed until she moved back to North Little Rock, Arkansas to get married.

She met Theodore Watson while she was in high school, and after relocating back to North Little Rock, Arkansas from California, they were married (Theodore changed his last name to Armstrong when he enrolled into the U.S. Army in 1965) on July 26, 1967, while Theodore was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky.  To this union two children were born.

Shortly after Theodore got out of the service, they relocated to Kansas City, Kansas where she was employed with the Economic Opportunity Foundation in Kansas City, Kansas. She retired after more than 30 years of service as the Assistant Executive Director. She united with the Salem Baptist Church and sang in the choir as the Music Ministry Leader (until her health started to fail her), was a member of the Naomi Mission Circle and remained a faithful and active member until her death. She and Theodore were happily married for 58 years.

Sis. Armstrong departed this life on Tuesday, September 17, 2025.

She leaves to celebrate her homegoing: her devoted husband, Theodore Armstrong of the home; two sons, Mark (Debra) Armstrong of Las Vegas, Nevada, Michael (Katrena) Armstrong of Olathe, Kansas; two brothers, Charles (Melba) Givens of Paramount, California, Brendell (Lanell) Givens of Sacramento, California; one sister, Deborah (Elijah) Alexander of Kansas City, Kansas; two sister-in-laws, Shirley Henderson of Little Rock, Arkansas, Linda Sutton of Grand Prairie, Texas; three grand-children, Mariah (Ruben) Armstrong-Paredes of Richland Hills, Texas, Madison Armstrong of Sacramento, California, Kamari Armstrong of Olathe, Kansas, Arkansas; and a host of other relatives and friends.

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