Betty "Liz" Holt

Betty Elizabeth Holt, known as Liz, was born November 11, 1929 in Checotah, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of Eura Mercer’s and Eli Summerfield Mercer’s six children and the longest surviving of her siblings: Bernice, Della (aka: Dolly), Sam, Kay and Bo. Betty’s father died when she was quite young, leaving her mother to raise the children on a depression-era farm in southeast Oklahoma, near Durant. Betty always recalled those days and her life with her family with humor and fondness, despite the hardships. She attended Southeastern State College in Durant, married, and eventually moved to Oklahoma City to raise her own children, but all the while pursuing her own unique career path. As a young woman, she became a fashion model, and later, started a charm school, Charm Acres. Always known for her singing, she delivered singing telegrams (so she claimed), and she sang in the church choir at Asbury Methodist Church (verifiable). At midlife she divorced, earned a Masters of Social Work from the University of Louisville, and subsequently established a personal counseling practice, Personal Dimensions. The last several years she succumbed to the fading of Alzheimer’s that robbed her of colorful memories and sharp wit, but through it all until the end, she maintained a kind, sweet nature and a mischievous smile. Betty lived her life to her own drumbeat. She was bold, outgoing, generous, creative, funny, warm and, at her most essential, kind-hearted. She is survived by her children, Enola Gaye Dickson, Las Vegas, and Alan Holt, Austin, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews across the country. People who would like to make a gift in her memory are asked to donate to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Betty "Liz" Holt please visit our Sympathy Store.