Bettie Lade Lehman

Bettie Lade Lehman passed peacefully into God’s loving arms on March 30, 2025, following a ten-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. A native Houstonian, many of Bettie’s lifelong friendships started at Harvard Elementary, Hogg Junior High and John H. Reagan High School. A proud member of the Reagan Class of 1957, Bettie was an all-school beauty, member of the National Honor Society, Baseball Queen, and a member of the Reagan Red Coats. Bettie graduated from Southwestern University in 1961. At Southwestern, she was a member of the Delta Zeta sorority, and was voted best dressed girl and Basketball Queen. While at Southwestern, Bettie met her first husband, Bobby Lade.

After college, Bettie and Bobby married and settled in Houston. Bettie taught typing and was a member of the teaching team that helped to open Memorial High School in Spring Branch ISD. Early on, she was a favorite of the basketball team, and she stayed in touch with several of these players throughout her life. In 1966, Bettie stopped teaching to raise her family as a stay-at-home mother to her children, Mike and Marla. Always active, she helped to start the Mother’s Day Out program at Memorial Drive Methodist Church and was a past president of the Rummel Creek PTA. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s, she served as a volunteer for the annual, televised PBS Channel 8 Auction; including serving as the auction’s volunteer chair for several years. In early 1983, Bettie returned to work, serving as the Assistant to the President at McGinnis Cadillac for more than 20 years. Later in 1983, following the death of her first husband Bobby, Bettie was the model of strength, resolve, faith, hope and love for Mike & Marla.

In 1993, Bettie married her Reagan classmate, Ervin Lehman. Bettie and Ervin shared almost 32 years together; living on a ranch in Field Store Community, in her childhood home in Timbergrove Manor, and finally at The Tealstone in west Houston.

Bettie and Ervin were members of the Heights Rotary and traveled with the Roaming Rotarians. They enjoyed traveling and spending time with lifelong friends from Reagan. For more than 50 years, Bettie led the Red Coats and Class of 1957 reunion activities.

Bettie was a friend to all. Her friends and Reagan classmates referred to her as “the glue” that held them together. They would marvel at her abilities as the consummate hostess; creating gatherings where all were welcome, included, and felt the joy and love she radiated. To those closest to her, Bettie was a fiercely loyal friend with a special mix of empathy, strength, kindness, honesty, fortitude, and confidence; mixed in with being a top-notch cheerleader. Bettie could light up a room, plus she cared deeply and it always showed.

Bettie’s favorite thing in life was being a grandmother. Bettie had seven grandchildren: Zac, Zoey (and husband Dustin), Kendall, & Otto Franz; and Andrew, Sean & Ryan Lade. Bettie was a fixture at most every game, recital, event, party, or celebration. She especially loved getting to make an appearance on each grandchild’s “RB” (real birthday). Her loving and generous spirit were always on display, especially as she adopted her grandchildren’s friends as if they were also her own grandchildren. To many lucky children, she was affectionately known as Grandma Bettie.

Bettie beat breast cancer in the 1990’s and was an avid supporter of the cause; often in pink and always a supporter of the Razzle Dazzle luncheon. She battled Alzheimer’s Disease with the same fighting spirit. During her Alzheimer’s journey, Bettie was blessed with care and support from family, friends and professional caregivers. Bettie would want to acknowledge her in-home caregivers Carol Mason & Veronica Henson, the charity CarePartners along with the affiliated churches that host The Gathering Place, the staff and management at Avanti Senior Living Towne Lake, and the team at Next Level Hospice Care. Each were a blessing, with the unique ability to see Bettie’s beautiful spirit, even as the disease progressed.

Bettie was preceded in death by her parents, John & Beth Scott, sister, Margie Scott, and first husband Bobby Lade. She is survived by her husband, Ervin Lehman, son, Mike Lade & wife Karen, daughter Marla Franz & husband Paul, and her seven beloved grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service is set for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 28, 2025 at Pines Presbyterian Church, followed by a reception and time to visit with the family. Pines is located in Town & Country at 12751 Kimberley Lane, Houston, Texas 77024.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bettie’s honor to support college scholarships via The Lade / Scott Endowed Scholarship at Southwestern University. Contributions can be made online at https://www.southwestern.edu/giving/ or by mail to Southwestern University, P.O. Box 770, Georgetown, Texas 78627, attention Kent Huntsman. Please specify your donation to benefit The Lade / Scott Endowed Scholarship.