James "Frank" Franklin Bettis

James (Frank) Franklin Bettis, resident of Tyler, Tx was born April 14, 1922 in Heber Springs, Arkansas to Oscar & Leona Bettis, and passed way at age 98 on Jan. 28, 2021. At the age of 5, Frank’s family moved to Georgetown, TN. where his dad bought a small farm of 30 acres and where he helped his mother and father along with his older brother George and sister Iva Nell build a one room log cabin that would be their home. He said his family managed to eke out a living by hard work with only one mule to do the plowing. Later many family vacations were spent on the farm where his daughters along with all their cousins would play in this one room log cabin, sleep on Aunt Belle’s feather bed, help milk the cows and feed the chickens. When the farm was sold, the log cabin was donated to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in Tennessee.

Frank volunteered for the Navy in Sept. 1942. He served in Panama until Jan. 1946 and upon discharge moved to Pasco, WA. where he met his future wife Bonnie Colerick. After a long courtship of three whole weeks, they married on July 28, 1950 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They moved to Ridgecrest, Ca. and Frank began his career working for Civil Service at China Lake Naval Base where he was a precision sheet metal specialist. Their first daughter Brenda was born in 1951, followed by their second daughter Barbara in 1953. While working full time and raising a family he took night classes and earned his AA degree.

After retirement Frank and Bonnie found their way to Tyler, Tx. where they were active members of Trinity Lutheran Church. After the death of Bonnie in 1992 he continued to be active in the church. In the summer of 2000 on a church outing, he met Linda Darnell, a labor and delivery nurse, and they were married on March 22, 2001.

Frank was a lifelong avid gardener, self-taught fiddle and banjo player, and for a few years even a bee keeper. He enjoyed oil painting, reading the bible, Gospel and bluegrass music and, what he called “real country music”.

Frank is survived by his daughters Brenda Charles, Barbara Kindall (Richard), and granddaughter Kristen Charles. Frank is also survived by his wife Linda Bettis, her son William (d. Lesa), daughters Becky (James), Laura, Melinda (Richard), Tammie (Sid Jr). Grandkids Justin, Sid III, Nic, Christina, Callie, Garrett, Candice, Jenny, Kristina, 8 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Frank was preceded in death by his parents Oscar Lavator and Nettie Leona Bettis, brother George Bettis and sister Iva Nell Carlisle. Services were held on Feb. 2, 2021.