Betty Lou Slakey

Betty Lou Slakey, age 86, of Cooper, Texas, passed away on April 3, 2026. Born on November 5, 1939, in Rattan, Texas, to Joe Daniel and Eva Lucille Miller, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend known for her warmth, grace, and quiet strength. She found deep joy in her family and nurtured relationships grounded in love, faith, and generosity. As a woman of faith, she was a member of the New Hope Church. 

On December 21, 1961, she married Charles Wendell Slakey, and they shared a life of partnership until his passing on February 4, 2022. Together, they owned and operated Slakey Building Supply in Cooper for many years. Betty later worked for the Cooper Independent School District (CISD) and the Delta Funeral Home. She gave tirelessly to her community, serving on the Delta County Child Welfare Board, acting as the first female Chamber of Commerce President, and serving 12 years the CISD School Board. 

A lover of sports, she was a member of the Cooper Bulldogettes basketball team that won the 1958 State Championship. Her interests included cooking, sewing, reading, and singing in the choir, but her greatest joy was attending her children and grandchildren’s life and school events. 

Betty is survived by her three sons: Kevin Slakey and wife, Cindy; Kent Slakey; and Kregg Slakey and wife, Andrea. She is also survived by cherished grandchildren, Holly Slakey Glenn and husband Trevor; Cayson Slakey Spinks and husband Colton; Jolie Slakey Smith and husband Tanner and Jaret Slakey, and two great-grandchildren, Radlyn Glenn and Braylyn Glenn. She was proceeded in death by her siblings: Clara McKenzie, James Miller, and Susan Standly.  

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the New Hope Church Family Life Center, 1301 SW 8th St, Cooper, Tx. with Pastor Dean Eudy officiating. 

Interment will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery in Cooper. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2026, at the Delta Funeral Home Chapel. 

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to the Cooper Maroon and Gray Scholarship Fund or the Alzheimer’s Association. 

Online respects may be made on the funeral home’s website: http://www.deltafuneralhome.com

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