Woodward County Obituary
Elmwood Cemetery

© Vondel Smith Funeral Home

Reprinted with permission
Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

Betty Sue Teten Stitt-Holley

October 29, 1934 ~ March 13, 1999

HOLLEY Betty Sue Teten Stitt, was born October 29, 1934, in Woodward. She was the fourth daughter (of nine girls) born to Richard John and Lula Pearl Smith Teten. She went to be with her Lord Jesus in her home in Oklahoma City March 13, 1999, at the age of 64. In high school,

Betty was an outstanding athlete and student. When she competed in the National Junior Olympics as a teen, she won and set a record for the best time in the 50-yard dash and the 50-yard low hurdles. She attended OklahomaBaptist University for three years but received her Bachelor`s degree and did graduate work at Oklahoma State University at Stillwater.

Betty met Thomas R. Stitt while they were students at OSU and they later married. To this union they were blessed with two children, Tomi Sue Stitt Malone of Marion, IL, and Charles Brent "Skip" Stitt of Indianapolis, IN. Grandsons, Josh and Patrick, born to Tomi Sue, were a great pride and joy to Grandma Betty`s life.

Betty dedicated her life to working with young people. She was a school teacher for many years and worked while she and Tom Stitt furthered their education. For many years Betty worked for the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department and was director of Northwest Rotary Park and Recreation Center fo r youth in Oklahoma City. She left this work, a great love to her, and cared for her mother, Lula Pearl Smith Teten at her home in Woodward and later in Oklahoma City until her death in 1991. In 1992 Betty was employed by the Oklahoma County Jail in Oklahoma City and was working in the capacity of jail matron to incarcerated women at the time of her passing. In this position, she was called, "Miss Betty" by many of the women and they loved her bright smile and energetic, fun-loving personality because w ith "tough love" she took care of them with compassion and love, disregarding the status or reason why they were there. She witnessed of God`s love for them and treated them with a kindness they found sometimes in no one else.

Betty was preceded in death by her father, Richard John Teten; mother, Lula Pearl Teten; brother, Harry James Teten; sister, Maxine Teten Kennedy; and Racheal Michelle Richards, Jo and Vernon's granddaughter, whom she loved very much and regarded as her own grandchild.

She is surv ived by her daughter, Tomi Sue Malone and grandsons, Josh and Patrick, Marion, IL; her son, Charles Brent "Skip" Stitt, Indianapolis, IN; sisters, Christina Leist, Oklahoma City; Billie Clark, Beaver; Dixie Wofford and husband, Beebe, Oklahoma City; Jo Richards and husband Vernon, Choctaw; Janie Brock, Oklahoma City; Helen Roller and husband Bud, Wichita, KS; and Kathy Ruse, Oklahoma City. She has many nieces and nephews that were like her children that survive her. Betty was a loving daughter,wife, mother, grandmother and sister and friend to all. She will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be Thursday, March 18, at 10:30 am at Cherokee Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City where she was a member. Her pastor Ray Ivey and minister of music, Keith Haygood will officiate. Reverend Gerald Johnson, a Southern Baptist pastor and Chaplain, will give the eulogy. The Oklahoma City Police Department Honor Guard will serve as pallbearers, and the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department Honor Guardwill se rve as honorary pallbearers.

Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery in Woodward, with graveside services Thursday, March 18, at 3:30 pm.

Funeral arrangements are by the Clark Funeral Service, Beaver, OK and Vondel L. Smith & Son Mortuary, Oklahoma City .Memorial donations may be made to the Children's Convalescent Center, 6800 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, OK 73008