Biography:

It is with great sadness that we share that Elizabeth “Betsy” Doll Gray passed away on January 28, 2026, at her home overlooking the garden she loved and surrounded by her family. Betsy was beautiful in appearance and gracious in spirit, but most of all she was kind and loving.

She was born on September 11, 1940, in West Point, New York to Dr. and Mrs. Richard L Daniel. She grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas with her brother Richard and many friends, especially her lifelong friend, Carole Gray. Betsy and Carole were a duo who shared decades of fun and mischief. Betsy attended Texas Women’s University and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where she was an art major and a proud member of Pi Beta Phi sorority.

Following college, Betsy married Stanley Gray and the couple had four children: Mitch, Mike, Elizabeth and Martha. For many years the family embarked on their “Jasper in June” camping trips that included canoeing the Buffalo River and other adventures that inspired many wonderful memories for all.

Betsy was active in the Junior League of Little Rock and volunteered at Children’s Hospital and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.  She was also a docent at the Historic Arkansas Museum, a master gardener and a member of the Scattered Seeds Gardening Club.  In 1972, Betsy and Stanley founded the Good Earth Garden Center & Nursery which Betsy operated for over forty years. She endured the devasting loss of two of her children, Mitch and Liz, but from that heartbreak she dedicated herself to her remaining family and especially to her grandchildren and maintained a zest for life, living every day to the fullest.

She loved all of her children, grandchildren (Lindsey, Sidney and Ella) and her great-granddaughter, Mila.  “Meme” entertained them with “princess lessons”, puppet shows and many card games.
Betsy was gifted by her creator with hospitality and loved nothing more than having family and friends for holiday meals and dinner parties filled with witty conversations and riveting stories.  Everyone marveled at how perfect meals were prepared from such a tiny kitchen.

In 2015, new joy came into Betsy’s life with her marriage to Alan Thalheimer - the “love of her life”. Together they enjoyed gardening, traveling, regular trips to Oaklawn to watch Alan’s horses run (occasionally winning) and entertaining their many friends.

Betsy is survived by her husband, Alan; her two children: Michael Richard Gray (Mary) of the Philippines and Martha Gray Tull (John) of Little Rock; her brother  Richard “Dick” Daniel (Charlene) of Benton; her grandchildren: Lindsey Roach Whitley (Tyler) and daughter Mila of Hot Springs, Sidney Laine Roach of Rogers and Elizabeth “Ella” Laine Tull; her stepchildren who were also her great friends: Joan Nafe (Larry) of Little Rock and Richard Thalheimer (Christina) of California and many nieces, nephews and great-nephews, all of whom she loved dearly.

There will be a visitation at Ruebel Funeral Home (6313 W Markham) on Monday, February 9 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm and a Celebration of Betsy’s life at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church on February 10 at 1:00 pm.

Her family would like to express their gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, her primary care doctor Samantha Watt, her compassionate caregivers Jessica Lowery and Adele Villanes, Arkansas Hospice (Lifetouch) and her many friends and neighbors. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, the Winthrop Paul Rockefeller Cancer Institute or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com