Ronnie W. Betts

June 13, 2016

Ronnie W. Betts, US Army Lt. Colonel Retired, 68, of Bainbridge, Ga., passed away after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at First Baptist Church with Rev. Paul Medley officiating. Interment will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery, with the United States Army providing military honors.

The family will have a celebration of life drop-in at their residence on Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 1914 Lake Douglas Road, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network,1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.

Ronnie was born November 6, 1947 to Ausmus and Ruth Betts of Climax, Ga. He attended Climax Elementary School, graduated from Quincy High School in 1965, and obtained a Bachelor of Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1977.

Because Ron loved his country greatly, he served in the United States Army for 22 years. He was a helicopter and fixed wing pilot and a Vietnam Veteran. Upon retirement, he spent the next twenty years working for the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Ron loved the Lord. He was a member of First Baptist Church, where he taught the Adult III Couple’s Sunday School class. He also was an officer and speaker for the Bainbridge Gideon Camp. Ron Spent his free time studying and preparing Sunday School lessons, watching grandchildren, reading and playing golf.

He is survived by his parents, Ausmus and Ruth Betts, his wife of 43 years, Delrose Morrison Betts; his three daughters, Georgette Barron and her husband, Steve, of Williamson, Ga., Allison Cantley and her husband, Clay, of Calvary, Ga. and Adrienne Harrison and her husband, Jarrett, of Cairo; seven grandchildren, Steve Barron, Matthew Barron, Caroline Barron, Jock Barron, Maddox Cantley, Emslee Rose Cantley, Ellie Harrison and his brother, Michael Betts and his wife Hazel. He was preceded in death by a brother, William Ausmus Betts, Jr.