Betty June (Lively) White, 94, passed peacefully in her sleep at 2:37 a.m. on September 10, 2026, and went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Born October 14, 1931, in Lowell, West Virginia, Betty was the daughter of Harry Elmo Lively and Veda Gaines (Canterbury) Lively.

Betty lived a remarkable life defined by faith, family, courage, friendship, and adventure. A born-again Christian, her faith became the foundation of her life. She came to know the Lord through her dear friend Harriet Palmer, who led her to Christ during their time in nursing school, and became one of Betty's closest and most treasured friends. She and Harriet traveled to Canada to enter Prairie Bible Institute, and later St. Paul Bible College where she met her husband, Kenneth Floyd White. Harriet met Dick Parker and later married him. Two couples then left for the mission field, one couple to Brazil, and the other to South Vietnam.

That faith would eventually carry Betty far from the mountains of West Virginia.

As a missionary wife and nurse, Betty served with her family in South Vietnam from 1960 until 1964. After returning to the United States on furlough in early 1964, the family returned to Vietnam in late 1965, where Betty resumed a life of missionary service and nursing.

In 1968, during the Tet Offensive, Betty and her family were among a group of missionaries rescued from Dalat, South Vietnam. Their son David, who had been attending boarding school in Malaysia, reunited with his parents in Thailand. From there, the family's journey home took them through Rome and Amsterdam before finally returning to the United States and to Florida, where Kenneth's mother lived.

Eventually, the mountains called Betty home.

The family returned to West Virginia, first living behind the Betty’s childhood home. and later settling in Daniels, West Virginia just outside of Beckley. Betty worked as a nurse eventually ending up in the VA hospital in Beckley where she became a dialysis specialist.

Those years overseas helped nurture a love of travel and adventure that remained with Betty throughout her life. She continued to see the world whenever the opportunity presented itself, traveling abroad, taking numerous cruises, and enjoying countless trips made all the better because they were so often shared with good friends.

For all the places Betty traveled, however, West Virginia never left her.

She remained a diehard West Virginia University football fan, cheering for her Mountaineers with the kind of passion, loyalty, and determination that those who knew Betty would recognize immediately. She loved spending time with her father (Pappy), and many cousins.

Betty was a strong woman. She was fierce, independent, and decisive; when Betty's word was final, everyone generally knew it.

But there was another side to her.

She was sneaky funny.

Betty could slip in a remark, a look, or an observation when you least expected it, sometimes leaving you a moment behind before realizing that she had just “gotten you”. Those who knew her best understood that beneath that formidable exterior was a woman with a wonderfully unexpected sense of humor, and a huge heart.

And to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was simply "Nini" (pronounced NeeNee).

That name came to mean much more than grandmother. Nini was a fixture in the lives of generations of her family, a woman whose strength, personality, humor, stories, faith, and unmistakable presence will remain part of their family long after her passing.

Betty is survived by her sons, Kenneth "David" White (wife Dawn) of Tualatin, Oregon, and Bryan Alan White (wife Leslie) of Rainbow City, Alabama. She also leaves behind eight grandchildren, Chris, Cathy, Sean, Sarah, Tiffany, Seth, Autumn, and Noah, and eleven great-grandchildren, Emily, Andrew, Sebastian, Chloe, Alex, Ariel, Adelaine, Bryan, Edie, Oli, and Theo, who will carry forward the memories and stories of their Nini.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Veda Lively; her sister, affectionately known as "Toots"; her brother, affectionately known as "Junior"; and her youngest son, Duane Kevin White of Franklin, North Carolina, who passed away at the age of 60 in 2025. Her former husband and the father of her children, Kenneth Floyd White, passed away in 2004. She was also preceded in death by her beloved friend Harriet, the friend who once led Betty to the Lord and whose friendship remained so meaningful throughout her life.

Her family takes great comfort in believing that at 2:37 on that September morning, Betty simply fell asleep here and awakened somewhere she had spent a lifetime preparing to go.

She went to see Jesus.

And waiting there were her son Duane, her family, and her dear friend Harriet.

For those who loved Betty, there is sorrow in saying goodbye to such a formidable and unforgettable woman, but celebration that she is in the arms of her beloved Savior, Jesus Christ. But there is also tremendous gratitude: for 94 years; for a young woman from West Virginia who traveled halfway around the world to serve others; for a missionary and nurse who lived through war and came home; for the places she went and the adventures she had; for the friendships she treasured; for the family she raised; for the Mountaineers she cheered; for the laughter she caused when no one was expecting it; and for the faith that carried her through it all.

Betty June Lively White lived a life much larger than the distance between where it began and where it ended. She saw the world, served others, raised a family, endured loss, found joy, made friends, loved fiercely, and held fast to her faith.

Nini will be deeply missed, fiercely remembered, and forever loved.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors Chapel with Pastor Robbie Merritt officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until time of services on Saturday.

"Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:23