Bettye J. Prettyman was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She left this world suddenly on Sept. 29, 2022.
Born to the late J. Russell and Hazel (McCauley) Tingle of Georgetown, she was a 1959 graduate of Georgetown High School. Two months after graduation, she married the love of her life, Joseph R. Prettyman of Laurel; the two were inseparable “peas in a pod” for over 63 years until the time of her passing. During those years, she worked as a teacher’s aide in Laurel School District elementary schools, as a nurse’s aide at Genesis Nursing Home in Salisbury, and as a classroom aide with the littlest ones at the Little Red Hen Nursery School in Delmar. But her favorite role was raising her family, beginning with her and Joe’s two children – Joe and Rebecca, also known as Becky.
Bettye loved spending time with family, friends, and her church family which included St. Georges UMC, Delmar, Del. and then Laurel Church of the Nazarene where she and Joe were active members for over 30 years. Always reading a religious book or her Bible, she often attended her daughter’s United Methodist Churches and, at the time of her death, was a member of the Community Bible Study via Zoom through Mariners Bethel UMC, Ocean View. In her quiet time, she liked puzzles, reading, and sitting at her table coloring pages with her colored pencils. Even when she and Joe sold their Laurel home to Habitat for Humanity in 2018 and moved north to Harrington with her daughter and son-in-law, she kept in contact with many of her friends from Laurel. All that knew her will miss the feisty spirit laced with love and compassion she showed to anyone who crossed her path in life.
She is survived by her beloved husband and best friend of over 63 years, Joseph Prettyman with whom she lived; son, Joseph R. Prettyman II (Sherrie) of Georgia; daughter, the Rev. Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Collison (Glenn) of Harrington and Ocean View; sister, Suzanne Tingle Cash of Newark, DE; grandchildren, Randy Davidson (Lesley) of Smyrna, Robert Davidson of Parksley, Va., Pastor Patrick Kelly (Veronica) of Bridgeville, Joseph Kelly (Taylor) of Spring Lake, NC, and Roni Collison and Randy Collison, both of Harrington; great-grandchildren including Sierra, O’Rian, Tommy and Hunter, Kelly and Jonah and Caleb Davidson; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 10-11 a.m. at the Hannigan, Short, Disharoon Funeral Home, 700 West Street, Laurel, Delaware 19956. A funeral service celebrating Bettye’s life will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. The Rev. Barbara Wilson and the Rev. Dave Seymour will officiate the service. Memorial contributions may be made in Bettye’s honor to Laurel Church of the Nazarene.
Arrangements are in the care of the Hannigan, Short, Disharoon Funeral Home in Laurel. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.hsdfuneralhome.com.