Betty Coker Scruggs

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA — Betty Coker Scruggs (88) of Tyler, Texas died on January 22, 2025 at Charlottesville, Virginia. She was a day shy of her 89th birthday.

Born January 23, 1936 in Tyler, Texas, Betty was the daughter of Ralph Leon Coker and Connie Mallory Coker. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband (Bernard R. Scruggs), siblings, Jerry Coker and Annette Appleton, nieces Carol Coker Cuca and Cathy Coker McLendon, and a nephew Jimmy Coker.

Betty attended the Pine Springs school and graduated from Tyler High School in 1954. Always an active and involved student, Betty was a May Princess, a twirler in the Blue Brigade, a member of Girls Forum and of the A Cappella Choir. Betty continued her education at Tyler Junior College where she danced with the Apache Belles. She was a life-long member of Cedar Street United Methodist Church and a super fan of Chapel Hill High School sports, drill team, and cheerleading. In particular, she loved baseball and enjoyed many spring and summer evenings watching her son, grandson, and great grandson play ball.

She is survived by two daughters Brenda Scruggs Gunn and her husband Stan of Charlottesville Virginia, Beverly Nelson of Tyler, and by one son Bryan Scruggs and his wife Lela Gibbs of Bentonville Arkansas. Betty had seven grandchildren, whom she cherished: Mallory Whitehead (Cody) of Bullard, Braden Nelson of Fort Worth, Payton Nelson of Tyler, Zane Gunn and Paxton Gunn of Charlottesville Virginia, and Ian Scruggs and Alexandra Scruggs of Bentonville Arkansas. She felt blessed to have two beautiful great grandchildren, Ty Whitehead and Harper Whitehead, of Bullard.

Special thanks to her Cedar Street UMC friends of many years, especially to Pastor Karen Jones, all of whom kept her close in their hearts, to David Phillips her nephew by marriage, the caring staff of Morningside of Charlottesville, and the nurses and case workers of the Hospice of the Piedmont.

A grave-side service for Betty will be held at 11:00 am on March 1, 2025 at Tyler Memorial Cemetery in Tyler. Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of the Piedmont (https://hopva.org/donate-online-now/) in Charlottesville, VA; or the Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org/).