Mrs. Betty Lavern Burrell

Mrs. Betty Burrell of Valrico, FL passed away on Thursday, February 6, 2025. A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, February 23, 2025, 4:00 p.m. at Ray Williams Memorial Chapel, 301 N. Howard Ave. Tampa, FL 33606. Funeral Services will be held in El Dorado, Arkansas on Saturday, March 1, 2025, 12:00 p.m. at Morning Star Baptist Church, 2506 N. College Ave. El Dorado, Arkansas, 71730.

Betty Lavern Burrell was born on July 8,1951 in El Dorado, Arkansas to George W. Reedy and Birda Mae (James) Reedy. She graduated from El Dorado High School in 1969. Betty then attended Arkansas State. She earned her master’s degree in business administration at Tampa College in 1991.

Mrs. Betty Burrell married Jimmy Dean Burrell on December 19, 1971. They had 3 children and were married for 53 years. In Betty’s early years she and Jimmy moved their young family to Omaha, Nebraska. Betty was Manager of Claims at Mutual of Omaha for approximately 13 years. She was also a Choir Director at Mount Sinai Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Betty and Jimmy then moved to Valrico, FL where she ultimately became Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC). Betty’s role at PWC was to identify fraud, waste and abuse of medical and insurance companies. She also performed financial auditing and expert testimony when called upon by the Federal Government. Betty had a key role in the success of PWC, nothing was more important to her than her husband, her children and her family.
 Mrs. Betty Burell was the Minister of Music and the Young Believers Choir Director at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church. At New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, she was Choir director for Youth and Young Adults choir.

Betty was always there to lend a helping hand. She gave to various charities over the years and was there to answer questions for family and friends anytime they needed help. She was an expert in so many subjects related to insurance and medicine that she was sure to give you the best answer possible. Betty made sure family members knew each other. Communication between family members was very important to her.

Mrs. Burrell was preceded in death by: her parents, George W. Reedy and Birda Mae (James) Reedy; parents-in-law, James Burrell and Margaret (Menor) Burrell; brother-in-law, James Burrell; and grandson, Timothy Freeman.

Mrs. Betty Burrell leaves to cherish her memory: her husband, Jimmy Dean Burrell; Son, Jimmy Dean Burrell Jr. (Brooke); Daughter, Sonya (Burrell) Jones and husband Gregory Jones; Son, Rashad J. Burrell and wife Kia Burrell; son, Trumaine Burrell; Brother, Robert Reedy; Sister, Evet Flanagan and brother-in-law, Willie Flanagan; Sister-in-law, Sharon Burrell-Henry and brother-in-law, Charles Ray Henry; Grandchildren, Jimmy Dean Burrell III, Elijah Burrell, Jimia Neal, Tylen Burrell, London Burrell, Kaile Burdett, Jarel Jones, Stephon Jones, Jianna Jones, Khayah Peters Burrell and Kierra George; 3 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, an uncle, former choir students, other family friends and associates.

Arrangements entrusted to Ray Williams Funeral Home, Rhodes and Northern, Owners.

www.raywilliamsfuneralhome.com

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