Betty Joe Tate of Batesville, formally of Brinkley, passed away on Sunday May 11th at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro at the age of 74.

Betty Joe was born on July 19, 1950, in Brinkley to William Cooper and Velma (Carnett) Strickland. She attended Brinkley Schools. She married her high school sweetheart, Dennis Tate, on March 22, 1968. They raised two daughters and were married for 45 years before Dennis passed away in December of 2013. Betty Joe retired as an employee of the Brinkley School District in 2014. After retirement, Betty Joe moved to Batesville to be closer to her daughters and grandchildren. Betty Joe was a member of The Compass Church in Batesville and enjoyed gardening, watching women sports, and the Dallas Cowboys.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant daughter, Tina Marie Tate, her brothers Larry Strickland, Jerry Strickland, and Louis Strickland and a sister, Rolene Baxter.

Betty Joe is survived by her daughters, Deborah (Ronald) Richardson of Batesville and Lisa (Scott) Foster of Naylor, MO as well as a brother WC Strickland of Grady and her sisters, Helen (Bud) Horn of Brinkley, Dorothy Smith of Jonesboro, Marla (Mike) Walker of Beebe, Carla Clay of Ward, and Paula (Donald) Clark of Brinkley. She is also survived by her grandchildren Alen (Mindy) Richardson of Collierville TN, Hannah (Devin) Ramsey of Pleasant Plains, Gunnar (McKeni) Osborne of Batesville, Katy (Tyler) Inloes of Cave City, Walker Osborne of Batesville, Ashlyn Foster of Springfield, MO, Natalie Foster of Columbia, MO, and Makenna Foster of Naylor, MO as well as 9 great grandchildren, Norman, Reagan, Ruby, Charlie Jo, Alyson, Carter, Isaiah, Oliver, and Atlas along with several nieces, nephews, and her dog, Landry.

Visitation will be Thursday, May 15 at 1 PM with services at 2 PM at Bob Neal and Sons in Brinkley with internment to follow at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Alen Richardson, Gunnar Osborne, Devin Ramsey, Tyler Inloes, Walker Osborne, Chris Dixon, and Carson Leroux.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to The Compass Church in Batesville, Pleasant Valley Cemetery, and the American Cancer Society.