"Her children rise up and call her blessed." – Prov. 31:28

Betty Sue Phillips Penn, 86, of Benton, Arkansas, passed away on June 7, 2025. Born November 8, 1938, in Paragould, Arkansas, she was the third of four daughters born to Raymond Hubert and Helen Ruth (Collier) Phillips.

Growing up before immunizations were readily available, Betty suffered with chronic illness as a young child. Her sisters affectionately nicknamed her "Granny Bone Bags," after a wiry character from Li'l Abner. After a tonsillectomy at age 11, her health began to improve.

When her father was transferred for his job with the U.S. Post Office, Betty's family settled in Little Rock, where they became active members of Antioch Baptist Church. At 10, Betty accepted Christ and was baptized there by Bro. L.D. Foreman.

She learned responsibility early, earning a 50-cent weekly allowance for doing household chores and carefully saving to buy the things she wanted. She wore modest clothing—first, flour sack dresses sewn by her mother, and later, ones she made herself. Her first paying job was at a small, corner grocery store, where she worked after school delivering groceries, dusting shelves, and selling penny candy.

At Antioch, Betty sang in the choir and began teaching Vacation Bible School at the age of 13. When she was 17, during a Saturday evening Bible study for young people, she met a young preacher from the Missionary Baptist Seminary named John E. Penn. The two began dating and were married on August 21, 1956.

Fun fact: when Betty applied for her marriage license, she discovered a surprising error on her birth certificate. Though her parents had always planned to call her "Betty," they named her Elizabeth Sue, after her great-aunt, Sarah Elizabeth Dunn. Unfortunately, the country doctor who delivered her wasn't much for details and officially recorded her as "Billie Lou." With her parents' help, she gathered supporting documents to prove her name—but since those papers used her nickname, "Betty Sue" became her legal name.

Betty cared for her family as a homemaker, mother, and wife. She supported her husband in each church the Lord led him to, the last being North Bryant Baptist Church (formerly Southwest MBC), where he pastored for 43 ½ years. As he worked, she worked, too, teaching Sunday School, leading the children's choir, and writing literature that has been distributed through Landmark Media Productions (LAMP), a non-profit auxiliary of NBBC.

A skilled seamstress, Betty worked from her home and, for a time, at Feinstein's in Little Rock, where she sewed women's fine clothing.

She was beloved "Mom" to her four sons and "Granny Betty" to her 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She expressed love for family through her actions: cooking, sewing, teaching life skills, saving clippings of their accomplishments, and praying faithfully. At family gatherings –centered around a meal – Betty had a camera on hand and was always up for a board game.

She is survived by her sister Raymell Goodwin (Jimmy) and family, sons Richard Thomas Penn (Janet), Jefferson Ray Penn (Lynne), William Jennings Penn (Casey), and John Michael Penn (Marla). She was preceded in death by her husband John of 69 years, siblings Janie Williams (Clarence) and Ella Breazeale (Charlie), parents, and extended family.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 13, at North Bryant Baptist Church in Bryant, Arkansas, with visitation preceding the funeral at 1 p.m., same location. Burial will follow the funeral at Kentucky Missionary Baptist Church in Benton. Memorials may be made for the Missionary Baptist Seminary's student scholarships through North Bryant Baptist Church to the John E. and Betty Penn Memorial Scholarship Fund. Send to North Bryant Baptist Church, P.O. Box 896, Bryant, AR 72089-0896.

Often quoted and sometimes misapplied, Proverbs 31 is, in Betty's case, a fitting description. She was a virtuous and industrious woman, with wisdom on her tongue, shrewdness in her hands, and kindness in her heart. We will miss her deeply, remember her fondly, and take comfort in her eternal rejoicing.

Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. – Prov. 31:25