Betty McClendon, 57, of Amarillo died Monday, May 16, 2011.

Betty was born Dec. 16, 1953, in Lubbock to Richard Draper and Junnie Mosley. She moved to Amarillo at the age of 3. She was a 1972 graduate of Palo Duro High School and continued her education at Amarillo College pursuing a career as a journalist.

She later married John McClendon Jr. of Amarillo. She later moved to San Jose, Calif., in the late '70s, and back to Amarillo in 1986, where she resided until her passing.

Survivors include her dear mother, Junnie Jones of Amarillo; a special friend, Billy Hall of Amarillo; an adopted son, Lamar Johnson and granddaughter, Anailah Johnson, both of Amarillo; two brothers, Alvin Draper and wife Edith of San Jose and Raymond Cloudy and wife Tanya of Amarillo; a sister, Rosie Rogers of Amarillo; a half sister, Brenda Draper of Lubbock; and a close and dear sister-in-law, Ola Mae Draper.