Bettye Ruth Dearman

Bettye Ruth Dearman, a loving and caring daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away on June 7, 2023, at Waterford at Creekside in Pensacola, FL. She was 84 years old.

She was born in Brandon, MS on September 29, 1938. She graduated from Collinsville High School and East Central Junior College, where she earned an AS degree in accounting. Bettye dedicated her professional career to Meridian and Bigbee Railroad, where she cherished her co-workers and the work they did together. Bettye was married to the love of her life, Ernest Dearman, for forty-two years.  After she retired and the passing of her husband, she moved to Tuscaloosa, AL to be closer to her daughter, Tammye. While living in Tuscaloosa, she  developed a heart for the community and found herself serving the families of First Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, by loving and caring for children as young as 6wks old for 19 years.

Faith played an essential role in Bettye's life, and she was an active member of Calvary Baptist in Meridian, MS, where she served the Lord and her church community. Upon moving to Tuscaloosa, she became a cherished member of Duncanville Baptist. Bettye had a profound love for animals and was known for her kindness toward them. She would often take in stray animals, and she delighted in feeding visiting raccoons and birds. Bettye was a avid reader and was known to read three to five books a week, with mystery novels and books about animals being her favorite. Her love for animals and literature enriched her life with companionship and  entertainment.

Family gatherings were a source of joy for Bettye, and she particularly enjoyed playing card games, with Shanghai Rummy being her favorite. She delighted in cooking and baking for her family and friends.

Bettye will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Tammye Dearing (Jerry), and her grandchildren: Philip Dearing (Susan), Jared Dearing (Lauren), and Brianna Campbell (Brian). She also leaves behind her great-grandchildren: Whitney Whitehouse, Isaac Whitehouse, Levi

Dearing, Cruz Dearing, Logan Dearing, and Lucas Dearing. Bettye is survived by her brothers, Carl Beeman (Ruth) and Robert Earl Beeman.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ernest Dearman, as well as her sister, Francis Strong (Lloyd), Chesterene George (Rupert), and Juanita Freeman(Thomas). Bettye was also preceded in death by her parents, Effie and Chester Beeman, and her brother, T.W. Beeman (Margie).

Visitation with the family will be from 11:00am-12:00pm at Webb & Stephens North on Hwy 39 with a Graveside Service to follow at

12:00pm in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens on Wednesday, the 14th of June. Officiating the service will be Dolan Davis from Covenant Church in Tuscaloosa, AL. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) and the Humane Society of West Alabama (humanesocietyofwa.org) in honor of Bettye's memory.

May we find comfort in knowing that she has found eternal peace in the arms of her Lord and Savior.