Elizabeth Ann Atha

Bettie was born July 4, 1939 to O. H. and Sallie Sears in Taft, California. Her father owned and operated several grocery stores in the Bakersfield area. She moved with her family to West Plains, Missouri in 1951.

Bettie graduated from West Plains High School in 1957 and attended Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri before graduating from Missouri State University in 1961.

Bettie married Daniel Ray Atha May 31, 1959 in West Plains, Missouri.

She taught elementary school in Farmington, Arkansas; Mountain View, Missouri; and in Texas in the Academy, Belton, and Killeen schools. She also served as a substitute teacher in Mobile, Alabama and Morehead, Kentucky.

Bettie was a believer in Jesus Christ and had a "gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (I Peter 3:4)

Bettie is survived by her husband Dan; two children: Julie Williams of Wichita, Kansas and Matthew Atha (Monica) of New Bern; four grandchildren: Michael Conn (Xandra) of Wichita, Kansas; Christie Matlock (Ben) of Ada, Oklahoma, and Zeke and Zack Atha of New Bern; and three great grandchildren; one sister Sallie Ameling (Jerry) of Lee's Summit, MO; and one brother Joe Sears (Glenise) of New Oxford, PA. She is preceded in death by her parents: O. H. and Sallie Sears of Marionville, Missouri and her brother, David Sears, of Springfield, Missouri.

Bettie was a member of the Garber United Methodist Church.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, October 30 at 1 p.m. at the Garber United Methodist Church, 4201 Country Club Road, New Bern, with Rev. David A. Banks officiating. A reception will follow in the Garber Ministry Center.

A graveside service will be held Friday, November 15 at 11:30 a.m. at the Oak Lawn Cemetary in West Plains, Missouri.

The Atha family expresses their appreciation to Community Home Care and Hospice for their care of Bettie. A special word of thanks to nurse Cindy McCaffity, caregiver Lucy Benton, and Chaplain Jim Marshburn for their ministries to the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Kingswood After School Ministry at Garber Church.