Betty Tarpley

Betty Tarpley, resident of Red Bank and formerly of Oklahoma City, Okla., passed away peacefully early Friday morning, April 11, 2014. She was a graduate of Putnam City High school in Oklahoma City and later attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. She met her future husband, Jack W. Tarpley, while attending college and they were married August 24, 1963. Jack took a job with DuPont and they moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1965. She became a member of the Red Bank Church of Christ in 1966. Betty taught children's Bible classes. She colored Bible illustrations and helped to develop Bible flip charts for missionaries around the world. She loved bowling and was a former Chattanooga City bowling champion. Other interests included fishing, water skiing, camping, flower gardening and taking care of her yard. Betty was always a "stay at home mom and wife", tended to all needs of two sons, two daughters and a host of other "sons and daughters", a classic little league mom of four from kindergarten to four college degrees and two advanced degrees. Excellent cook, spotlessly clean home, flowers everywhere, energy to burn. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edwina Grace and Arthur Taylor Funkhouser. Survivors include her husband, Jack W. Tarpley; daughters, Heather Lee and husband, Kraig Campbell and Tara Ann and husband, Chance Blackmer; sons, Thomas Arthur and wife, Debbie Tarpley and Jack Jonathan Tarpley; grandchildren, Kendall Tarpley, Tyson Campbell, Max Tarpley, Kayla Campbell, Hayden Blackmer, Sierra Tarpley, Lilah Blackmer and Charlotte Blackmer; sister, Patricia Grant, of Chattanooga; and brother, Arthur Taylor and wife, Esther Funkhouser, of Bern, Switzerland; sister-in-law, Nancy Holland, of Redding Calif.; nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions may be made to Boyd-Buchanan School and Chattanooga Inner City Ministries c/o Red Bank Church of Christ. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace. Interment will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens. Visitation is 5-8 p.m. today at Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace 877-3524. Visit www.lanefh.com to share condolences.