Belva Raye (Hall) Hennen, 95, passed away peacefully May 23, 2019 at her residence in Denton. Born January 8, 1924 in Springtown, Parker County, Texas, she grew up on a farm near Millsap, Texas also in Parker County. She was the daughter of Margaret Edna (Darter) Hall and John Wright Hall. She was a loving, caring and attentive mother and grandmother who devoted herself to her family, and she will be dearly missed.

Belva, whose favorite high-school subject was English, graduated as salutatorian of her Millsap High School class. She was a star player and high scorer on her basketball team, and sang with the school choir and as a soprano soloist. After graduation from high school in 1942 she went to Fort Worth to work for Williamson-Dickie Company first making military uniforms, then as a secretary. There she met Lowell Hennen, whom she married in 1943. Belva and Lowell lived in his hometown of Sherman, Texas while he served in the US Army Air Corps at Perrin Field, and after World War II lived in Wyoming, Kansas, and California before returning to Texas in 1960. In California, Belva worked as a public school secretary.

Back in Texas, she worked at times for the American Standard Co., the IRS, and the Air Preheater Company, all in Dallas. She and Lowell moved to Denton in 1971. Lowell predeceased Belva in 1989.

In Denton, she worked for Denton ISD as a special-education secretary for 15 years before retiring. In her 60s she became an avid golfer and traveled abroad with family and friends. She worked part-time as a secretary at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Denton, as she said, to "support her golf habit."

Belva is survived by sons Michael, of Denton; Joe Pat, of Denton (and wife, Susan); Paul, of Pottsboro, Texas (and wife Terrie); daughter, Margaret Smajstrla, of Round Rock, Texas (and husband James), and by ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She was a member of the First Christian Church in Denton for 47 years and was an elder emeritus of that congregation. She also had been a member of the Ariel Club in Denton.

Belva's family extends sincere and deep appreciation to the staff at Brookdale Denton North Assisted Living and Brookdale Hospice Care for exemplary professional care and personal care provided to her.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 1, at 2 pm at the First Christian Church, 1203 Fulton Street, Denton. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials to First Christian Church, Music Fund, will be appreciated.