Betty Fateley's Obituary
Betty Carlene Davis Fateley passed into the graces of God’s loving arms on March 25th 2009 at her home near Hartville, Missouri in the surrounding presence of family, friends, and the Lord.
Betty Carlene had lived a robust eighty one years, beginning and completing her life on the very farm that has been in the Davis family for generations. She was born at the home of her parents, the youngest child to Noah and Edith Davis. Betty and her brother Gene attended the Hartville School where Betty graduated with honors and stayed connected to the Alumni by regularly sponsoring the yearly reunion at her farm where homemade ice cream became a staple.
From an early age the Lord became an ever-present influence in all that Betty did, thought, and dreamt, only growing stronger in his convictions as her years progressed to the point that her dog-eared bible became her default reading for anything other than gardening or cooking.
Betty worked in the 1940’s as a phone operator in Hartville. It was an occupation that she and her mother shared and one that nurtured her fine art at communication. Her life would prove that there were never any strangers, only friends that she had not met.
Betty married Harold Fateley, a career military man in the early 1950’s and traveled with their four children to many assignment including two years in Stuttgart Germany, North Carolina, Kansas, and Ft. Wood Missouri. The war in Vietnam stole a son, Mike.
Yet a mother’s broken heart continued to provide a center for the family.
Her husband passed away unexpectedly in 1974 just as the two of them were planning retirement on a part of the Davis farm on Highway V. For the next 34 years this property became home base to a most dynamic influence and ambassador to humanity. Betty loved unequivocally. There was no judgment … only understanding and loving hugs. She traveled to many western states visiting her daughter Sharon yet always returned to the Missouri woods where she felt most comfortably at home with you her family and friends.
After retiring for the second time from Civil Service, Betty began a professional career of care giving with Missouri Home Care. Besides the routine services, anyone under Betty’s compassionate umbrella was also subject to endless stories, miles of laughs, at least two fresh pies to the client’s personal tastes, a few meals stacked into the fridge and enough of life’s therapies to last until the next visit.
Her final years challenged her with mobility limitations which although damping her freedom of movement only sharpened her affection of hope and belief that the goodness of God can not be slighted nor denied through works of human kindness.
Betty Carlene is survived by two sons, Pete Harlamert of Hartville, Missouri and Kenneth Fateley of Dixon, Missouri; a daughter, Sharon Sowa of Grapevine, Texas; five grandchildren, Michael Fateley of Dixon, Missouri, Clay Harlamert of Fort Worth, Texas, Reagan McKinna Stiebel of Iberia, Missouri, Graham Sowa of Grapevine, Texas, and Emily Sowa of Grapevine, Texas; one great-granddaughter, Brooke Morgan Fateley Craine of Vienna, Missouri; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends of all ages, persuasions, and convictions. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Noah and Edith Davis; her husband, Harold Fateley; a son, Michael Fateley; her brother, Gene Davis; a sister-in-law, Lou Davis.
Services will be 2:00 P.M. Saturday, March 28, 2009 in Holman-Howe Chapel, of Hartville, with burial in Steele Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be 7:00-8:30 P.M. Friday March 27, 2009 in the funeral home. A memorial has been established to New Hope Baptist Church and may be made through, Holman-Howe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 236, Hartville, Missouri 65667.
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