Betty Branstetter

Betty Bernice McNeil Branstetter, 95, went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 30, 2024, in Stillwater, OK. Visitation will be held on Monday, June 3, 2024, from 1-2pm., Funeral service will begin at 2:00pm. Interment will be held on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 2:00pm at Debolt Cemetery in Arnett, Oklahoma. Dighton Marler Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.

Betty was born on the family farm near Geronimo, OK on January 24, 1929, to Charley Roy McNeil and Myrtle Lee (Gilliam) McNeil.  She attended grade school in Geronimo until the family moved to Lawton.  She graduated from Lawton High School in 1946 and from SWOSU in Weatherford, OK with a Bachelor of Secondary Education in Science in 1950.  Betty wanted to move west, so she accepted a teaching position in Arnett, OK where she met the love her of life, Max Henry Branstetter. They were married on June 1, 1952, in Arnett.  They lived in multiple locations until they settled in Perkins, OK in 1968, where they raised their four children.  Betty taught high school science at Perkins-Tryon High School for many years. She also graduated from CSU in Edmond with a degree in Funeral Science.  She graduated from OSU in Stillwater with a Master of Science in Chemistry then worked at OSU in the wheat research lab.  After retirement Betty served on the Perkins Library Board and City Council and served as a volunteer in various clubs and organizations in Payne and Kay counties, including many years at Stillwater Medical Center.  Betty moved to Ponca City in 2008 to be closer to her youngest son and grandchildren and then spent her final two years of life making new friends at Legacy Village in Stillwater.

Betty became a Christian as a child and was a faithful, active church member everywhere she lived.   She loved her family and especially rocking her new grandbabies.  She taught her family many things, such as baking pies, sewing clothes, wrangling goats, raking leaves and loving nature and science. Betty was a loving and giving person, who positively impacted many lives.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Max, her parents and two brothers, Merl and Glen McNeil.

She is survived by her brother, Bobby McNeil of Lawton, OK; children, Roy Branstetter and wife, Vicki of Stillwater, OK; Beth Seeliger and husband, Eric of Morgan’s Point Resort, TX; Karen Grotheer and husband, Steven of Tryon, OK; and Rex Branstetter and wife, Wendy of Ponca City, OK; grandchildren, Elissa Grotefendt (Jonathon) of Taylor, TX; Brandy Grotheer (Greg Lawson) and Brandon Grotheer of Stillwater; Jessica Schumann (Kyle) of Philadelphia, PA; Jacob Branstetter (Logan) of Norman, OK; Kaley Fry (Drew) of Alpena, AR; Levi Branstetter (Maggie) of Rogers, AR; Will Branstetter of Charlotte, NC; Karis Branstetter of Tulsa, OK; Zeke, Kate, and Isaiah Branstetter of Ponca City, OK; Deric Longan of Ramona, OK and Jeffrey Ryan Longan of Stillwater, OK;  Great grandchildren, Sydney, Adeline, Wyatt and Katrina Grotefendt, Elijah Fry, and Adelyn Branstetter; and many loving nephews and nieces.

Memorial contributions can be made to Friends of the Thomas Wilhite Memorial Library in Perkins, c/o Dighton Marler Funeral Home, 5106 N. Washington St., Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075.

Condolences may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.dightonmarler.com.