Bettie Joan Harlow

Bettie Joan (Dorough) Harlow was born in Arabi, Georgia, on December 22, 1939, to William Elgy & Myrtice Mae (Musselwhite) Dorough. She went to be with her Heavenly Father on November 29, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas, surrounded by loved ones, after a long battle with dementia.

Joan married the love of her life, William Jack “Duke” Harlow on June 29, 1957, in Sacramento, California. Bettie Joan Dorough had attended Harlandale High School in San Antonio, but moved before her senior year to Sacramento with her mother and stepfather, Joseph Marinello where she graduated from North Highlands High School, shortly after, she and Duke were married. As a young sailor’s wife, she took her first job as a secretary with Dun & Bradstreet while Duke was stationed in Japan. Upon his return to the states and discharge from the Navy, Duke & Joan traveled to Georgia and stayed there briefly with family. Bettie Joan, as she was known to her father and stepmother, Dorothy Ruth Stokesberry Dorough, enjoyed spending time with her sister Luvena Dorough Horn, her brothers, William “Bill” Elgy Dorough, Jr., and Timothy “Tim” before settling in San Antonio, where they had their first “blind” date years before.

Duke and Joan had their first son on January 19, 1959, and their second son was born on June 3, 1960. Joan enjoyed being a mom. She would read to their children from the time they were born, and sang nursery rhymes and lullabies to the next three generations. She was a stay at home mom, which was common, but soon became a working mom. She worked at Kelly AFB in Security Service, working with both civilians and military officers, coordinating communications and the secretary pool. Joan wanted a daughter and her hopes were realized with the birth of their third child, a daughter, in August of 1967. Joan stayed home again to care for her family. Once her youngest was in school, she returned to a career in business, specifically insurance working for Aetna Life & Casualty, where she was one of the first female supervisors in the company. While working full time she attended classes at Southwest Texas State University where she graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor’s of Applied Arts & Sciences. She then pursued a new career in education. She developed the original curriculum for Career Investigations while teaching at Nimitz Middle School, later shifting to high school in vocational education and teaching CVAE Co-op and Business/Office Education Co-op at MacArthur High School. Throughout her teaching career she helped students reach their goals. Many of her students competed at the state and national levels under her supervision.

She retired from teaching too soon, after suffering a shattered ankle that required multiple surgeries. She then focused on renovations for their hill country home and would substitute teach on occasion. While Joan excelled in each career she pursued, her greatest love was spending time with her grandchildren, and later her great grandchildren. Her beautiful voice sang many a lullaby to her grandchildren who were her pride and joy. She and Duke were members of Bible Baptist Church in Mason, Texas, another place where her sweet voice could be heard making a joyful noise unto the Lord.

She is survived by her husband of 63 ½ years, Duke, sons and daughters-in-law, William “Billy” Jack Harlow, Jr. & Therese Harlow (of Kearneysville, WV) , Robert Joseph “Bobby Joe” Harlow & Laura Harlow (of San Antonio, TX), daughter, Maribeth Marie Harlow (of Three Rivers, TX), grandchildren William Jack “Trey” Harlow, III, Michelle Harlow Zimmerle, Dylan Joseph Harlow, Erika Elizabeth Harlow, Sierra Reynolds Rendon, Brianna Reynolds, Joseph Anthony Harlow, Joan Marie Albor, and Jonathan Albor, great-grandchildren, Warren Jack Harlow, Wade Emmett Zimmerle, and Allie Beth Harlow. Her sister and brother-in-law Luvena Dorough Horn & Bobby Joe Horn, brothers and sisters-in-law, William “Bill” Elgy, Dorough, Jr. & Susan Dorough, James Timothy “Tim” & Sue Duncan Dorough, also sisters & brother-in-law, Pam & Dale Bentley, and Eonna Marinello. Nieces and nephews, April Coker, Shannon & Lisa Dorough, Donna Jean Harlow Oatman, Peggy Harlow McCarter, Ricky Don Harlow, Tonya Peddicord, Heather Feliciano, Andraya Hayward, and many great nieces and nephews. Bettie Joan was preceded in death by her parents and stepparents, grandparents, and many beloved aunts and uncles.

Due to CoVid and CoVid related restrictions, we will not be having a service at this time. A celebration of life will be held in late spring.
The Harlow family is grateful for the caring staff of Guiding Light Hospice.