Betsy Burson

Dr. Betsy Lee Burson, of Arlington, Texas, died on March 26, 2017, at the age of 74, in Glendale, Arizona. At Betsy’s request, no services will be held. She will be laid to rest in the Greenlawn Cemetery at 10:00AM on Saturday April 8, 2017, in Pratt, Kansas. Betsy was born in Onley, Texas, to James Hollis Burson, 34, and Lora Elizabeth (Talbott) Burson, 23, on December 16, 1942. She graduated from Pratt High School, in 1960, then attended Pratt Junior College, in 1961. She then transferred to Kansas State Teachers College, where she would be awarded her Bachelor of Science in Education, in 1964. Betsy, continued her education by enrolling at the Texas Woman’s University, in Denton, Texas, where she was awarded her Master of Library Science, in 1967. Betsy finished her education by being awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Library Information Studies, on May 16, 1987. Betsy’s career included two years teaching, in Denton, Texas, before joining the Phoenix Central Library system, 1967-1974. On June 3, 1974, she left the Phoenix Central Library system as Acting Head Librarian to become the Library Director for the City of Glendale, Arizona, 1974-1975. She returned to the Phoenix Central Library system as the Project Archivist Phoenix History Project, 1975-1977. At the age of 34, she married Winston Rabb Henderson, in Prescott, Arizona, on June 29, 1976. Betsy was an Adjunct Faculty member for the University Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 1978-1979.   Betsy’s knowledge of the changing library systems awarded her many consulting projects. In 1980, she moved back as a consultant to the Texas Woman's University then to the Louisiana State Library System in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1982-1985. Her career path moved her to become the Library Director of the El Paso Public Library system, El Paso, Texas, 1987-1990. Betsy finished her career as the Director of Libraries for the City of Arlington in 1990 and served until 2001. The American Library Association, named her Texas Librarian of the Year, 1995. Prior to retiring from the City of Arlington, her many years of civil duty, expanding and modernizing the city library system, was recognized by naming a street in her honor, ‘Betsy Burson Dr’. She supported many charitable organizations and always made sure to give back to her community. Betsy has been a life time member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Betsy is preceded in death by her husband of 32 years, Winston Rabb Henderson, of Arlington, Texas; her parents James Hollis Burson and Lora Elizabeth (Talbott) Burson, of Pratt, Kansas; her sister, Lora Ann (Burson) Johnson, of Phoenix, Arizona; uncles Morgan Burson, of Cisco, Texas, Richard Lee Talbott, of Hutchinson, Kansas; aunts Mittie Burson and Mattie Burson, of Cisco, Texas; Julia Aline Talbott and Margrett Alice Talbott, of Pratt, Kansas. Betsy is survived by her two nephews Ryan Wayne Jenkins and Myles Edward Johnson, both of Phoenix, Arizona; cousins Bill Moss, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jim Swindler of Normal, Illinois; Don Swindler of Aiken, South Carolina; her husband’s children William Henderson, of Wichita Falls, Texas and Margaret Henderson, of Phoenix, Arizona.