Betty Jean Ooley – Bedford
Betty Jean Ooley was born November 22, 1923 in Lawrence County to Ralph and Jessie Wiilliams Thomas. She died unexpectedly Friday, January 9, 2015 at her home east of Bedford.
She was married November 2, 1946 to Paul R. Ooley. She was a 1942 graduate of Shawswick High School and a member of the Church of Christ at Pinhook. During World War II she worked as a civilian clerical employee of the U.S. Army at Camp Atterbury. After her marriage she was a mother, homemaker and used her considerable bookkeeping, accounting, clerical and organizational skills to support her husband in the operation of the family farm with its herd of registered Holstein cattle, his DeKalb Seed Corn dealership, and later the family herd of registered Angus cattle.
Betty was an active member of the Farm Bureau for over sixty-five years, held various offices and leadership roles in Lawrence County 4-H and the Lawrence County Extension Homemakers, and volunteered at the 3rd grade farm fair since the program’s inception. She also volunteered at the Lawrence County Museum and energetically pursued genealogy research for her own family as well as many friends. For several years she has enjoyed having a booth at the local Farmer’s Market selling hand-embroidered and hand sewn items as well as baked good, especially pies and divinity. She also enjoyed providing food the the IBEP workers and last November, she single-handedly prepared meals for Lawrence County poll workers at the Unity Missionary Baptist Church. Since the passing of her husband in 2012 she has remained active in operating the family farm and maintaining the herd of Angus cattle with entries in the Indiana Beef Evaluation Program (IBEP) and Southern Indiana Angus sales.
She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Polly and Gerald Jean of Bloomington and a son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Louisa Baker Ooley, of rural Bedford. Also surviving are two grandsons, Benjamin and Christopher Ooley; two step-grandchildren, Scott (Lisa) Jean and Kimberly (Andy) Pope, and four step-great-grandchildren, Jacob, Nicholas and Clara Brekke and Sam Jean. A brother, Dale (Norma) Thomas, and three sisters, Sue Alice Hunter, Jane (Donald) Turpen and Nancy (Thomas) Fletcher also survive, along with several dear nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and two brothers, Donald Thomas and Harry Lee Thomas.
Funeral service will be on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, at 1 p.m. at Ferguson-Lee Funeral Home, with Bro. Walter Hunter officiating. Burial will be in Pinhook Cemetery. Friends may call on Monday, 4 p.m. to 8 pm. and Tuesday, 11 a.m. till 1 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lawrence County Historical and Genealogical Society.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.fergusonlee.com
Carolyn Pruett – Bedford
Carolyn Pruett, 69, of Bedford, died at 12:50 p.m. on Friday, January 9, 2015 at her residence.
Born July 3, 1945 in Lawrence County she was the daughter of Erving Hicks and Dessie (Wade) Hawkins. She married Danny L. Pruett on August 4, 1963 and he preceded her in death on August 13, 2012. She was a member of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church.
Survivors include two daughters: Victoria Fields and her husband Mike of Bedford, and Dian Livingston and her husband Terry of Paoli; five grandchildren: Chad Fields, Morgan Hunsaker, Hannah Fields, Christopher Pruett, and Brennan Hunsaker; three sisters: Virginia Wilcox of Bloomington, Evelyn Pruett of Bedford, and Anita Hamilton of Bedford; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sons, Jimmy and Daniel L. Pruett; three sisters: Phyllis Lewis, Hazel Young, and Eva Sowder.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 pm on Tuesday, January 13th in the Elmwood Chapel of the Day & Carter Mortuary with Pastor Kenny Dalton officiating. Burial will follow in the Beech Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday, January 12th at the Day & Carter Mortuary.
Family and friends may express condolences at www.daycarter.com.
