Betty Dunklin

Betty Jane Oberheide Dunklin, 96, passed away Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, at Chateau Girardeau.

Betty was born June 28, 1920, in Cape Girardeau to Leona Hasslinger Oberheide and Walter Henry Oberheide.

She graduated from Central High School and attended State College (Southeast Missouri State University). Betty graduated from University of Missouri--Columbia, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. During college, she obtained her private pilot's license. She shared a story that neither of her parents would fly with her and would only watch from the safety of the ground. During World War II, she was drafted to serve as a civilian air traffic controller in Kansas City at the Fairfax Airport. During her stay in Kansas City, she ran into a Central High School classmate, Maurice "Dunk" Dunklin, as he was flying home for a sabbatical with the Army Air Corps. They were married Feb. 18, 1945, at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau. Betty and Dunk briefly lived away from Cape Girardeau due to his Army Air Corps commitment but soon returned to family and friends in Cape.

Betty was an accomplished gardener. Her azaleas at the longtime family home on Alta Vista Drive were well known as some of the best in town. Betty was also an avid golfer and a longtime member of the Cape Girardeau Country Club. Betty and Dunk took numerous golf trips over the years with good friends and wintered in Clearwater, Florida, for many years. Betty was involved in the Girl Scouts organization as a leader. She was a 50+ year member of First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau and a member of Chapter BI PEO.

Some of Betty's closest friends, the River Girls, were a group of women that made numerous trips to Current River to the cabin belonging to Mary Lou Montgomery. The women, including Mary Lou, Pat Seabaugh, Mary Spitzmiller, Cathryn Adams, Mary Frances Bucher and Mary Blue, floated, played cards and made great memories over the years.

Betty and Dunk were members of the SEMO Copper Dome Society and have an endowed yearly scholarship in their name that is given to a student in need.

She is survived by her three daughters, Judy Hoeh (Leo Jr.) of Riverdale, Georgia, Jane Stahly (Joe) of Cape Girardeau and Susan King (Scott) of Lake Winnebago, Missouri. She has seven grandchildren, Chris Hoeh (Annette), Alison Baringer (Michael), Jodi Stahly, Jamie Stahly, Jon Stahly, Ryan King (Kristen) and Andrew King (Jenna). She has five great-grandchildren, Lily Stahly, Tripp Stahly, Emlyn Baringer, Marlena Hoeh and Isla King, and great-grandbaby No. 6 due any day.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, George Oberheide; and her husband, Maurice T. Dunklin.

Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Entombment will be at Cape County Mausoleum immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Girl Scouts of Missouri Heartland, First Presbyterian Church or Chateau Girardeau Foundation.

The family wishes to thank the nurses, aides and staff at Chateau Girardeau and Southeast Hospice for their compassion and care for our mother over the years. As mom would be saying right now, "See you later, alligator!"

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