Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cullen Funeral Home, 612 W. Foxwood Dr. Raymore, Missouri 64083. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Sabina Catholic Church, 700 Trevis Ave., Belton, Missouri 64012. Bettianne will then be laid to rest at the Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish Wea Cemetery in Bucyrus, Kansas.
Bettianne was born in a farmhouse outside of Louisburg, Kansas in 1928 to Bert Brown and Nora (O’Mara) Brown. Growing up, she helped with farming and housework. After graduation from Louisburg High School in 1946, she worked as an elementary school teacher and later worked in various financial institutions. Bettianne retired after 17 and a half years from the Department of Defense as supervisor of the Marine Retired Pay division. Bettianne married Chuck Dellinger in 1946 and raised five children, Steve, Joe, Rosie, Bobby, and Cathy, mostly on her own. The happiest days of her life were when her children were growing up. After many years she divorced Chuck, who later died.
Family and friends were very important to Bettianne, as she was known to make a friendship last a lifetime. She always wanted family to get together over the holidays and loved setting a pretty table with china and silver.
Bettianne married Hugh Gardiner and was with him for thirteen years. She divorced Hugh and moved to Republic, Missouri where at age 80 she bought a brand-new home, decorated it, and filled the yard with flowers and shrubs. She loved gardening and house plants. She definitely had a green thumb and plants of all varieties would thrive under her care. She loved watching sports on TV and learned all about football and basketball, faithfully watching her favorite college teams play. She also loved the Royals and Chiefs. One of her fondest memories was when her grandson, Brian, invited her to attend a Royals playoff game in 2015 with him.
Bettianne loved dancing, listening to jazz bands, attending musical theater, and traveling all over the world, including Europe, Australia, and Russia. She loved dressing up for all occasions and had elegant clothes for church, and fancy clothes and jewelry for going out on the town. She loved her mink coat. After her move to Republic, she continued to put people and fun into her life as Queen Mother for three different Red Hat groups. In 2018 she moved to Belton, Missouri to be nearer to her family, and joined another Red Hat group. Some favorite family memories of Bettianne were when she wore the costumes she created to participate in the best western cowgirl contest and as recently as November of this past year, the Flapper girl contest.
From her early years to present times, Bettianne saw amazing changes in the world; however, she deliberately chose not to embrace computer technology, being very satisfied with her Jitterbug flip phone.
Bettianne was devoted to her Catholic faith and attended Mass every Sunday. She was active in every parish she lived in and helped with church events. She loved EWTN, especially in her later years when she was no longer able to attend Mass on a regular basis. She watched Mass every day, had favorite daily devotions, and she prayed the rosary every day. In her last days she received the Sacrament of the Sick and Holy Communion. She was ready to see the God she loved, face to face.
Bettianne was preceded in death by her parents, Bert and Nora Brown; son, Joe Dellinger; three sisters, one brother; and grandson in law, Joseph Stifter.
She is survived by her children, Steve Dellinger (Carol), Robert Dellinger (Kathy), Rosie Haaga (John), and Cathy Cooper; grandchildren, Doug Dellinger, Brian Dellinger, Brad Dellinger (Jennifer), Danielle Dellinger, Joshua Dellinger, Matthew Haaga (Lori), Mark Haaga (Brenda), Trevor VanBunnen (Anna), Shaun Wheat (Ginny), Melissa Stifter; and fourteen great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Kansas City Hospice House, 12000 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, Missouri 64145 or to Catholic Charities, of Kansas City-St. Joseph online at www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org
Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278
