Betty Lou Stelplugh

Betty Lou (Overton) Stelplugh, 77, of Arvada, CO, died Sunday, December 30, 2012. Betty was born April 9, 1935 in Princeton, MO, to Gully Alvin and Osceola Reid Overton. Betty graduated from Princeton High School in 1953 and met her future husband while attending college in Kirksville, MO. They married Jan. 2, 1955 and celebrated 56 years of life together. Betty began playing the piano as a child. She gave private piano and voice lessons to countless students. Earning her music degree from School of the Ozarks in 1979 allowed her to teach many others what she loved most at schools in Blue Eye, Morrisville, Dadeville in Missouri and in Bedford, Iowa for 15 years. She served as church organist at FBC Macon, MO, and FBC Forsyth, MO. As recently as Dec. 15, she performed a Christmas concert at Springwood Retirement Community in Arvada where she resided. Before moving to Colorado in 2009, Betty and her husband were long-time residents of Springfield, MO. Betty is survived by daughters Rebecca Jo Ray (Mark) of Lubbock, TX; Christine Lynn Stelplugh (Helen Wagner) of Arvada, CO; three grandchildren: Nathan & Rachel Stelplugh Dukes of Mountain Lake, MN and Logan Ray of Lubbock; several nieces and nephews, and her beloved cats Fiesty and Furby. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Robert Overton; a son, Richard Mark Stelplugh; and her husband, Richard Arthur Stelplugh. A celebration of life service will be held Thursday, Jan. 3rd at 3:00 p.m. at Ward Road Baptist Church, 5858 Ward Road, Arvada, CO 80004. The family invites friends and neighbors to celebrate her life at an Open House following the service 5:00-7:00 pm at her daughter's home: 12915 W. 77th Drive, Arvada, Co. 80005. Memorial donations may be made in Betty's name to Ward Road Baptist Church, 5858 Ward Road, Arvada, CO, 80004, or online at www.wardroadbaptist.org. Please share your memories of Betty and condelences with her family by signing the guestbook below.