Bettye Jane Ewen was born June 17, 1927 to John William and Grace (Fickas) Ewen in Estelline, Texas. She went to be with her Lord and Savious on January 4, 2013 at 10:35 a.m.
She lived in Estelline TX until the summer before her senior year of high school when the family moved to Plainview, TX. Bettye would have been Valedictorian of her class, but because the requirement was to be in the same school 2 years, she had to settle for Salutatorian.
She graduated from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; and Southwestern Baptist Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX before becoming an International Mission Board Missionary to Nigeria, W. Africa where she served for 42 years. While home on one of her furloughs she completed her Master’s Degree at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK and taught some classes at Midwestern Baptist Seminary in K.C.
Bettye retired from the mission field in Africa in 1992 and moved to Springfield, MO. However, she never retired from her mission work. She was a member of South Haven Church and remained a member there even though she moved to The Baptist Home in Ozark, MO.
Preceding her in death where her parents, five brothers, one sister and one nephew.
She leaves one sister, Patsy Rowland of Springfield, MO.; two nephews in TX, two nephews in KS, one nephew in MO., one niece in AZ., and one niece in FLA. Since Bettye never married she always considered her nephews and nieces her children.
Even though the nieces and most nephews reside in other states “Aunt Bettye” as she was lovingly called, kept “in touch” and will be missed by all.
In lieu of flowers please donate to The American Cancer Society .
Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 in Hazelwood Cemetery. Services have been entrusted to Greenlawn Funeral Home South.