Betty U. Dunavin

Betty U. Dunavin, 89, went to her heavenly home with Jesus on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024 at Stately Living in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Betty was born Feb. 11, 1934 in Craighead County, Arkansas. She married Ermel J.D. Dunavin on Oct. 8, 1948. They were married for 72 years before Ermel passed in 2021.

Family was everything to Betty. She was a loving, caring mother to her daughters and a doting Mom-ma to many.

She is survived by two daughters; Linda (David) Yeske and Diana (Jan Douglas) Bish; four grandchildren: Kari (Joe) Palazzolo, Melissa (Eric) Adams, Jeffrey (Lillian) Priebe and Chad (Nikki) Priebe; nine great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren and another on the way.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ermel J.D. Dunavin; two brothers, Ernest and James Harrell; and one sister, Kathy Delovich.

Betty taught Sunday School for many years. She was retired from Eau Claire Public Schools as a beloved bus driver. Betty was also an expert seamstress and loved creating beautiful clothing for many of the members of her family. She always made time for a good game of Scrabble and delighted playing with her girls gathered around the table for many hours. Her boys visited regularly for a breakfast plate loaded with biscuits and gravy deliciously made only how she could make them!

The family lost their Matriarch, their Mother, their Mom-ma and the many other things she was to all of them. But in Earth losing her, Heaven gained a Special Angel. She may be “gone” in common terms, but she isn’t gone – she has just changed her address and we can’t wait to see her again.

Memorial contributions can be made in Betty’s honor to The Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 12 p.m. at Bright Star Tabernacle, 5130 Old Pipestone Rd., Eau Claire with Pastor Mike Fields officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Sodus, Michigan.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Bowerman Funeral Home in Eau Claire. www.BowermanFuneral.com.