Betty Jo Gilliam, 84, of Jacksonville, passed from this life on Friday, January 24, 2025. Betty was born on Monday, October 21, 1940 in North Little Rock to the late Imon Thornton and Selma Cole Thornton. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, Donna Williams, Bill Thornton, and Doyne Thornton.

She is survived by her husband, Gene Gilliam; her children, Anita Hayley, Cathy Reynolds, Brenda Collins and husband Marty, Taunya Breaux and husband Mike, Barbie Walker and husband Jason; her sister, Connie Mahoney; 8 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and one great great-grandchild.

Dr. Betty J. Gilliam was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1940.  She and her four siblings were raised by a single Godly mother, Selma Lily Thornton.  Selma moved her family to Cabot when Betty was five and raised her children there.  July 14,1967, Betty married Gene Gilliam and they raised five daughters.  Dr. Gilliam taught in the Cabot, Arkansas public school district for a number of years and was the middle school counselor.  In 1984, she resigned to help found Faith Christian Center in Jacksonville, Arkansas where she is co-pastor with her husband, Gene.  In 1988, they started a Christian School, kindergarten through twelfth grade. They established the School of Healing and Restoration where people receive healing for the whole man:  spirit, soul, body.  They co-hosted the weekly television program "Life Worth Living" for seven years.  Established Faith Christian Bible Training Center in 1986 and Central Arkansas Bible College in 2004. Dr. Gilliam was the first person to teach a college counseling course in any University in Bulgaria after they were freed from communism.  In 2015, they established Word Churches International, an organization that is about fellowship among churches, ministries, and members of like precious faith.

Dr. Betty J. Gilliam earned a BSE in secondary education and MS in secondary counseling from the University of Central Arkansas, an MA in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts University where she also completed their School of Healing.  She earned a Psy.D from Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, Indiana.  She studied at Oxford University, Christ Church for three summers.  She has successfully completed the course work for a PhD in Renewal Studies in Church History at Regent University and is currently pursuing a PhD from Oral Roberts University.  Dr. Gilliam taught at Agape College in Little Rock, Arkansas for several years. She has ministered to many in Mexico, Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland through teaching, preaching and workshops. Dr. Gilliam taught two years at the International Meeting of Faith Ministers Convention in Eastern Africa.

She has a lifelong passion for learning and imparting the knowledge and revelation God has given to her.  Her philosophy of life is inherited from her mother, Selma Lily Thornton, "Learn to love. Love to learn and DREAM big."

Funeral services for Dr. Betty Gilliam will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at Faith Christian Center in Jacksonville with interment to follow in Sumner Cemetery. Visitation will from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday evening at Moore's Jacksonville Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Faith Christian Center, 1601 Dogwood Drive, Jacksonville, AR 72076.