Betty Detamore Shives, Class of 1951

Betty Detamore Shives ’51 died Dec. 27, 2020. She was born November 17, 1928, in Union City, Ohio, the daughter of the late Kenneth ’24 and Dorothy (Beam) Detamore. Betry graduated as a Registered Nurse from Miami Valley Hospital in 1949, and achieved her Bachelor’s from Otterbein College in 1951 where she was involved in the Sigma Alpha Tau (Owls) sorority. She was proud to be the third generation of her family to graduate from Otterbein which along with her father included her siblings Bill ’51, Phillip ’55; sister-in-law Shirley ’51 and relative Sarah ‘26 Detamore.

Betty was married to Richard Shives for 67 years. He first met her as she was playing in a mud puddle at Hunchbarger Corners and he first asked her to marry him in second grade. Their relationship was filled with laughter and love. Whenever you drove up their lane, you would often find Betty bent over in her flowerbeds working away. She and Dick began collecting and restoring antiques early in their marriage and their home was full to bursting and she loved it! Whether it was traveling abroad, showing a draft pony, or just sitting down for a meal with family she enjoyed every moment.

She is survived by sons John (Renee) Shives, David (Jill) Shives and daughter Anne (John) Hoenes; 7 grandchildren, Emily (Jay) Hartman, Rachel (Nathan) Silknitter, Margaret Shives, Clint Shives, Ashley (Dustin) Yount, Mary Hoenes, and Andrew Hoenes; and 12 great-grandchildren.