Rebecca Laney Vowell, 74, of Houston, Texas passed away on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Becky was born July 6, 1951, in Magnolia, Arkansas. She was the middle child of Warren Harding Laney and Winona Lee McMahen.

Becky's family moved to Oklahoma when she was a young child before settling in Odessa, Texas. Throughout her childhood, there were summer trips to visit her parents' families in Arkansas and Louisiana. Becky continued this tradition with her children. This strong sense of family that her parents fostered carried her through life and she passed it along to her children.

Becky graduated from Odessa High School in 1969. Becky earned a Bachelor of Science in 1976 from University of Texas Permian Basin with major in Life Science and minor in History. During her studies, she made the Dean's List at Texas Tech University in 1975 while also raising a young child. In 2004 she earned her master's degree in Geoscience from Mississippi State University while teaching high school science full time and raising a teenage daughter.

Becky was a life-long educator whose career spanned 6 decades. She started her career teaching elementary school. She taught high school science for 22 years, including Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Environmental Systems, and AP Biology. The principals she worked with always valued her dedication to her students and her effort to involve parents in their children's education, with one principal noting that her third grade students were often the highest scoring on standardized tests. After she retired from teaching in 2014, she continued enriching children's lives by tutoring kids after school. She tutored children as young as three to help with early development as well as helping students prepare for SATs and everything in between. She was proud to have helped a young man who was struggling to pass a police academy entrance exam. She loved children of all ages and helping them was her joy in life.

Her children, Allen, Kelly, and Ashley, and grandchildren, Sean and Adam, were her passion. She lived for her children and grandchildren. She was interested in the things that interested them. She had a unique way of making each of them feel like the center of her world and, though they are all different, she understood them at their core and knew how to make them feel special.

Becky always placed others before herself. She showed care, concern, patience, and compassion, regardless of what she was going through. Becky loved to laugh and could always be counted on for a smile and a hug. She lived a life filled with love, surrounded by family, and supported by her faith.

She is survived by her son Allen Goodyear (Laura) of Albuquerque, New Mexico and their sons Sean and Adam, daughters Kelly Goodyear and Ashley Vowell of Houston, Texas, brother Rick Laney (Yumi) of Pearl City, Hawaii, and brother Warren Laney (Debbie) of Plano, Texas. Becky was also loved by her large extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Becky is preceded in death by her parents.

All expressions of sympathy are welcome, including flowers and honorary donations to National Center for Science Education

A memorial service will be held at Peevey Funeral Home Wednesday, April 8, at 3:00pm with visitation one hour prior to the service.