In Loving Memory of Bettie Willerson Driver, 69

Bettie Willerson Driver died November 2, 2015. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2010, she triumphed over this normally deadly form of cancer but ultimately succumbed to two subsequent forms of cancer.

She was born on June 11, 1946, in San Antonio, Texas, to Dr. Eleanor Townsend Willerson and Dr. W. Darrell Willerson. She graduated from St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio where she was president of the student body and achieved academic honors.

She attended the University of Texas, being admitted under the elite honors program Plan II. While at the University of Texas she was named a Bluebonnet Belle- one of the five outstanding women students in the entire university. She was president of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, an affiliation she enjoyed throughout her life.

Bettie then entered the University Of Texas School of Law, where she was named Outstanding Woman Student. After law school, she accepted a clerkship with United States District Judge, the Hon. William C. O’Kelley.

Following her clerkship, she joined the law firm of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy (now Bryan Cave) and for a period of time was the only woman lawyer in that firm. She then joined Huie & Harland (now Kutak Rock) and continued her law practice in litigation. She was heavily involved in representing MARTA as it was being constructed, facing many novel and difficult legal issues. She valued the mentoring she received from senior highly respected litigators at both Powell Goldstein and Huie & Harland.

After twelve years of law practice she retired to tend to her growing family of three children. She reveled in each success, large or small, of her children and grandchildren. She served on the Boards of Directors of Families First and the Howard School. She was active in the Junior League of Atlanta and particularly enjoyed singing with the Peach Pipes group to bring music and pleasure to groups of shut-in people around Atlanta. Bettie also played high level tennis in the leagues of ALTA.

In the last several years, she loved playing competitive duplicate bridge and became a Silver Life Master. She made a new set of friends and loved the competition and stimulation offered by bridge.

She is survived by her husband of forty-five years, Walter Driver, Jr and by children Eleanor Townsend Driver Post (Allen), Anna Revelle Driver Wick (Warren) and Walter Driver III (Kate) as well as grandchildren Williams Post, Anna Townsend Post, Jackie Post, Blythe Eleanor Wick, Reese Revelle Wick and Tatum Driver Wick. She is also survived by her brothers Dr. James Willerson and Dr. W. Darrell Willerson, Jr. (Susie) and cousins Diana Townsend Morehouse, Eleanor Oliver Petty, Anne Blair Collier, Bill Blair and Ricky Blair.

The family profoundly thanks her devoted friends Varetta Wilkens and Lena Morris, Dr. Maria Russell at Emory Hospital, and the doctors and staff of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, including Dr. Ron DePinho, Dr. Jeff Lee, Dr. Dan Booser, Dr. Kelly Hunt, Dr. George Perkins and Connie Jacobs.

Funeral services will be at 3 o’clock on Thursday, November 5, 2015 at the Cathedral of St. Philip and will be followed by a reception in Child Hall at the Cathedral of St. Philip.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Bettie’s name be made to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, PO Box 301439, Houston, TX 77230-1439.