Betty Jo (Day) Stokes was born July 23, 1933, in Bolivar, Missouri, and passed from this life on Friday, August 18, 2023, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield at the age of 90.  She was the daughter of Irl and Ada (Euliss) Day. Betty graduated from Marion C. Early High School in 1951. In the early 1950’s, she and Charley were baptized at the Northwest Baptist Church in Springfield. As a faithful member of Springhill Baptist Church for most of her adult life, Betty served as organist, worked in VBS, helped drywall the new building, and baked the best chocolate chip cookies. Holidays have not been the same since she stopped baking her delicious yeast rolls. Her fried chicken dinners on Sundays are legendary. She is also remembered for making hot chocolate for the cast and crew of the Live Nativity Pageant at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds for decades. A gifted musician, she played for weddings, revivals, and funerals as the need arose.  A recording of her playing the organ will be played at the visitation.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Charley Allen Stokes.  She is survived by two sons and their spouses, Joe and Connie Stokes and Jim and Shelley Stokes, all of Springfield; three grandsons, Jeff (Crystal), Kevin, and Tony Stokes; two granddaughters, Jamie Stokes Lafayette (Michael) and Amanda Stokes Harbaugh (Dan); seven great grandchildren, Quinten, Austin, Abigayle, Sydnie, Lukas, Charlotte, and William; three nieces and two nephews.

Visitation for Betty will be held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 pm, at Greenlawn Funeral Home North in Springfield, Missouri. A graveside service for Betty will be held on Friday, August 25, 2023, 10:00 am, at the Morrisville Cemetery in Morrisville, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Baptist Hill, P.O. Box 491, Mt. Vernon, MO  65712, or the charity of the donor’s choice.