Bette Louise (Evans) Cardin

Bette Louise Cardin

ALGOA - Mrs. Bette Louise Cardin passed from this life on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

Bette was born on October 1, 1928, in Huntington, Arkansas to John and Belle (Keith) Evans. Her father passed away when she was just 3 1/2 months old. She grew up on a farm with her mom and siblings, called Fox Hill, in Arkansas. Mr. Fox had a multi-story plantation home where he took the 3rd floor of their own home and put it on the farm near the river and gave it to the family to live. Bette went to Midland Elementary, Huntington Middle School, Huntsville High School, graduating in May 1947. Growing up in the 30’s and 40’s taught Bette to be resilient. As a young girl she would wake up early every morning to milk some of the cows, separate the milk and walk it into town where she would sell the cream and use the money to buy her schoolbooks and school clothes. Growing up with her family, Bette being the youngest, when her sisters were married with children Bette would babysit some of her nephews and nieces. One of which was David who she would sing Charlie Choo Choo and tell everyone that he was her baby. There was Reggie, who always loved going to Granny’s house, and he would want to sleep over, until it got dark, and he would cry and want to go home. Bette and her sister Mary would walk him home 2mi one way in the dark and take him home. Bette always loved children, her own and others as well.

Bette was a wonderful combination of sweet and strong. At the end of the war Bette met and married Thomas Leo Cardin of Oklahoma on September 26, 1947, in Ft. Smith Arkansas. Tom and Bette met at a dance in Ft. Smith where Tommy’s sister Zella and Bette’s best friend Beanie introduced them. Tom and Bette had their first child Joyce in Alexandria Louisiana. While she was pregnant with Joyce, Bette was looking out the kitchen window where she saw something moving in the tall grass just beyond their backyard. Bette was inquisitive and went to investigate. As she began to get closer to what she saw it moved toward her out of the grass where she realized it was an alligator. As it moved toward her Bette reacted and used a hoe to keep it at distance from her. She stayed with it until Tommy got home and Tommy roped it. They have a picture of him with it. They called the zoo and they came and picked it and named it Little Tommy where it lived it’s life in the Louisiana State Zoo.

Tom and Bette moved around the country, and lived in a few states, having two Children in Texas Jeanette and Bryan. Their oldest boy Thomas Newton was born in Ohio. Bette was a loving mother who seemed always able to keep her cool. Her gentle parenting, strength of mind and godly character has always inspired others to be the best version of themselves. Bette was a talented writer who wrote poems, songs, and different articles some were published in magazines and the local newspaper, Bette always enjoyed writing. Momma always sang to her kids, she would sing songs from various musicals, some were songs she made up herself. She had all sorts of little sayings. Some were inspirational to her children. Such as “you can do anything you put your mind to do”. She was always an inspiration to her entire family and others that knew her. In 1949, she gave her life to Jesus Christ in Alexandria, with her husband Tommy. In a small Pentecostal church on 16th street. Tommy received the baptism in the Holy Spirit then to, but it wasn’t until 1950 in a tent revival with a minister named Oral Robert’s that Bette received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At the church in Alexandria, it wasn’t long after their salvation in 1950 that their Pastor felt called to go onto the mission field, and a young Pastor was brought in named G.A Mangun who came began to lead the church. Tom and Bette moved to San Antonio in 1951, where Jeanette was born. Tom and Bette then soon moved to Ohio and started his first construction business. Here their first son was born, Thomas Newton, in 1959. After many years in Ohio, they moved to Texas to be closer to other family. Where Tom and Bette bought a 25ac. farm in Cleveland, Texas where their youngest son was born, Bryan, not long after his birth the family moved to Pittsford, New York. They didn’t stay long there and moved back to Texas. After they arrived in Texas from New York, a week a later Tommy’s mother passed from this life to be with Jesus her Lord, at a gathering of the family at Tommy’s brother, Lynn’s home. That evening Tommy rededicated his life to the Lord and led his family with Bette on to serve the Lord. Tom and Bette bought the property in 1970 where they lived out their lives serving the Lord, building a business and raising a family. They became members of First Assembly of God in Arcadia (now Santa Fe) with Pastor B.A Reeves, where Joyce married the Pastor’s son Doyce. Doyce and Joyce Reeves have three children who are all girls. Their names are Trisha, Ronda and Lacy. Jeanette was married there as well to James (Jimmie) Heileman, they have three children, two boys and a girl. Their names are Nathan, Matthew and Candice. After many years Tom and Bette left First Assembly of God and in the late 1980’s began going to Abundant Life Christian Center, in La Marque with Pastors Walter & Cindy Hallam, where they remained members till their passing on into glory. They raised their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to know and to fear the Lord. And their family is their greatest legacy. One of Bette’s specialties was “chocolate pie”. Family would put their orders in every holiday season for one of her pies. She could do so many things. She worked as bookkeeper for many years for her husband Tommy’s businesses. She was always a good administrator and bookkeeper. But Bette always loved caring for children. She loved her family and was always a constant in the midst of any trouble. She had words of wisdom and was always ready to pray.

She was a member of the Gulf Coast Association for Education and Young Children and worked for the Tree Top Day Care as a Teacher for almost 10 years. Bette was an amazing woman who was blessed with 95 wonderful years. She loved life, she loved her family, and she loved God, and we know that we’ll all see her again one day. Bette and Tommy are now dancing on streets of gold, with their son Newton, and other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Belle Evans; husband, Thomas L. Cardin; son, Thomas Newton Cardin; brothers, Jack Evan, Edgar Thomas Evans; sisters, Sarah Lorne Evans Strunk, Thelma Lenora Evans Phillips, Dora Vivian Evans, Levada Evans, Mary Elizabeth Evans Canada.

Survivors include her son, Bryan Cardin and wife, Kristie of Alvin; daughters, Joyce Reeves and husband, Doyce of Santa Fe, Jeanette Heileman of Santa Fe; grandchildren, Trisha Reeves, Rhonda Reeves Jackson, Lacy Reeves Johnson, Nathan Heileman, Candice Heileman Daniel, Matthew Heileman, Michael Cardin and Mia Cardin. Along with 13 great grandchildren whom she loved all so dearly!

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, November 16, 2023, in the chapel of Hayes Funeral Home, 10412 Highway 6, Hitchcock, with pastor Walter Hallam officiating.

Memorials in the form of donations may be made in Bette’s name to your local church.

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