Betsy Dinkins

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Betsy Lee Gateley Dinkins, 82, of Champaign passed away at 9:38 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois.

She was born Nov. 17, 1940, in Paragould, Arkansas, the daughter of Roy and Elizabeth Douglass Gateley, and grew up in the magical town of Senath, Missouri. She married James A. Dinkins on Aug. 14, 1993, in Cape Girardeau.

Betsy received her bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University and was a passionate Cape Girardeau public school teacher for 25 years at Jefferson Elementary School. She was an active member of Southeast Missouri Pets (formerly the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri) and is happily on the Rainbow Bridge with all the dogs that passed before her, Lucky, Rusty, Mandy, Bandit, Shadow, Mallory, Ginger, Chloe and Lacey. She was an avid reader and shared that love with her grandchildren.

Betsy is survived by her daughter, Lilabeth Norton (David) Frye, and stepdaughter, Laura Dinkins (Brian) Norman. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren, Timothy (Paige), Lucas and Dustin Frye and Caleb, Lillian (Nathanael Renaud), Joseph, Samuel and Elisha Norman. She has one great-grandson, Knox Frye. Betsy is also survived by many longtime friends too numerous to list, but whose support and love are not forgotten.

In addition to her parents, Betsy was preceded in death by her husband, James A. Dinkins; daughter, Laura Dee Norton-Dye; son-in-law, Curtis R. Dye; stepson, Jonathan Dinkins; and stepdaughter, Rebecca Dinkins Hargrove.

Visitation will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, with the funeral following at 3 p.m. Burial will be at Senath Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial donations be made to Southeast Missouri Pets or Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Online condolences may be sent at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.