Mary "Olene" Betts

Mary Olene Vandiver Betts, age 71, passed into eternity on July 29, 2022.

Born in Hopkins County, KY, on February 9, 1951, Olene was the first of four daughters born to Clifton and Mary Lou Vandiver. Olene was a bright, talented student and graduated as valedictorian of her class from Union County High School in 1969. In addition, she earned several awards from the theater, chorus, and education departments and was named Most Likely to Succeed. When she was a teenager, Olene and her sisters Freda, Rhonda and Kathy formed a singing group called the Vandiver Sisters and produced an album entitled “Moments with God” with their uncle, Jack Vandiver, accompanying them on piano. Olene herself was an avid pianist, especially enjoying playing ragtime tunes by Scott Joplin and many gospel favorites.

Olene was studying for her teaching degree at Murray State when she put her schooling on hold in order to get married to William Haven Betts in Sturgis, KY in 1970. Within five years of marriage, she had given birth to three daughters of her own: a blonde, a brunette and a redhead who she was proud to accompany on piano in church and singing contests as the Betts Sisters in the mid-1980s.

Resuming college to pursue a career in nursing, Olene earned her RN license from Park University in Kansas City in 1989. She worked at several hospitals in Missouri before returning to Union County in 2002 to be near her parents and other family. Olene remained in Sturgis until 2020 when her oldest daughter Jessica Hodge invited her to move to Fishers, IN to recover from an injury. Olene decided to settle in Fishers and stayed there until her passing. In Fishers, she found a loving church home at Fishers Point Community Church and joined as a member earlier this year. She was also excited to have a new apartment with room to host guests and new friends for lunch. Olene was devoted to her family and attended events for her grandchildren whenever she was able.

Olene is preceded in death by her grandparents, Jesse and Justine Vandiver and Rufus and Bessie Jackson, and her sister Rhonda Brown. She is survived by her parents, Clifton and Mary Lou Vandiver; her sisters Freda Tilley and Kathy (Dennis) McDaniel, her daughters Jessica (Riley) Hodge, Leta Rudzik and Amanda Hauck; her grandchildren Lydia (Preston) Tate, Josh Swisher, Jeremiah Swisher, Susannah Swisher, Bea Rudzik, Min Rudzik, Cameron Hauck and Savana Hauck; great granddaughter Ellen Tate; and many loving nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Public visitation will take place at Beshear Funeral Home in Dawson Springs on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at 12:00 pm, with a memorial service at 1:30. Interment will follow at Gilland Ridge Church Cemetery in St. Charles.

A memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at Fishers Point Community Church in Fishers, Indiana.