Bettirae Kimes

(nee Beard)

Bettirae Beard Kimes peacefully completed her earthly life, August 29, 2017. She was a resident of the Barnes Center at Wesley Ridge Retirement Community in Reynoldsburg, OH. A perfectionist in all she accomplished, Bettirae was a devoted and loving wife to R. Robert Kimes, to whom she was married for 66 years. Bettirae was the daughter of Raymond A. Beard and Ethelyn Lynd Beard, and sister to Lavonne Beard Holladay (Dr. Robert Holladay) of Lima, OH. All are deceased. Bettirae was born in Columbus, OH on July 21, 1929, and grew up on the Hilltop of Columbus. She was valedictorian of her Junior High School class, and her Senior High School class at West High School. She graduated from the Ohio State University in 1951 with a B. A. in English Literature. Having married her high school sweet heart, Bettirae worked as a patent librarian at Bell Laboratory in Murray Hill, NJ, and as an assistant children’s librarian for Summit Public Library in Summit, NJ, while Bob attended Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, NJ. After Bob’s graduation and ordination as an Elder in the Ohio Methodist Conference, Bettirae and Bob moved to Cridersville, OH where Bob began his career as a Methodist minister and Bettirae was the consummate minister’s wife. Together, they also served and volunteered their talents at other Ohio Methodist and United Methodist churches: Shawnee (Lima), Forest Chapel (Forest Park, Cincinnati), Trinity (Marble Cliff), Bexley, and First Church (Lancaster). When Bob was appointed as the District Superintendent of United Methodist Churches in Cincinnati, OH and then South Dayton, OH, Bettirae continued her faithful mission as his partner. Numerous summers were spent in Bayview, Michigan at the Bayview Chatauqua where Bob was the Director of Religious Activities and Bettirae aided him as hostess. Included in Bettirae’s service to the United Methodist Church was the writing and publication of children’s Sunday School literature which was used in some 30,000 United Methodist Churches across the United States and Australia. Bettirae was active in the women’s groups of the churches. She led many retreats and created many liturgical banners during her lifetime. In addition to her service to the church, Bettirae tutored underprivileged school students for the Cincinnati Public Schools, was a docent at the Columbus Museum of Art, a member of the PEO Chapter FE, a member of Twig #7 of Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster, OH, and a participant of several literary groups. She excelled at various types of needlework, was a seamstress, gourmet cook, avid gardener, a voracious reader, artist and world traveler. Bettirae devoted herself as mother to Rebecca Kimes Rust (Dr. Steven W. Rust), Timothy Carr Kimes (Diane Balogh Kimes), and Sara Kimes Tidwell. Her life was enriched with the births of her grandchildren: Dr. Timothy Rust (Dr. Laura Hamilton Rust), Joseph R. Rust (Emily Sparks Rust), Jacob Tidwell, Kiva Tidwell, and Alexander Kimes. Over the last two years, Bettirae was delighted to welcome two great grandchildren into her life: Weston Robert Rust and Rose O’Brien Rust. In addition, she is survived by her nephews: Scott Holladay (Diane Thomas Holladay), Larry Holladay (the late Lori Deckert Holladay), and Dr. Bruce Holladay (DawnValasky Holladay), and their families. Bettirae would have been the first to say her life was richly blessed by family and friends, and her love and memories will continue on in their lives. The family would like to thank the staff at The Barnes Center, Hospice of Methodist ElderCare, and The Wesley Ridge Community for their tender love and care of Bettirae. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bettirae’s name to: Wesley Ridge Development Office, 2225 Taylor Park Drive, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068, or to Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, 96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215 (Hilltop Branch, Children’s Books). Please join the family in Preserving the Remembrance of Bettirae Beard Kimes, on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 2:00 p. m., in the R. Robert and Bettirae Kimes Chapel of Wesley Ridge Retirement Community, 2229 Taylor Park Drive, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Arrangements by SCHOEDINGER MIDTOWN CHAPEL, 229 E. State St., Columbus, OH 43215.