Betty Jane Diehl

Betty Jane Diehl (Beatty), originally of Norwood, PA, passed quietly in the early hours of April 5, 2024, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Born January 5, 1950, to the late Frederick T. Beatty & Betty Jane (Hart) Beatty. Betty was a woman who gave her entire self to those who needed it, evident by the countless lives she impacted. Her selfless passion extended from the very young to those at the end of their lives. Those privileged to know her will remember her grace, patience, and understanding. Betty’s work life revolved around caring for children. She worked at Folcroft Union Church’s preschool (Rainbow Child Care), where she was also a Sunday school teacher and superintendent for many years. Betty ran Miss Betty’s Preschool and the Good News Club out of her home and was a nanny to many children later in life. “Miss Betty,” as she was affectionately known, gave needed love, structure, and confidence to countless children. Betty’s personal life was a series of beautiful relationships. She was a mother who cared deeply for her children and showed it by giving freely of her time. As a grandmother she sparked with personality and pride, never hesitating to get on the floor to play with her grandchildren. In these moments, she radiated a warmth that was the hearth of our family. This warmth was known by her many close friends with whom she developed lasting and loving connections. Betty loved to travel and was an avid crafter and baker. Many people were blessed to receive her gifts of scrapbooks, floral arrangements, and ceramics. She even baked and decorated wedding cakes from her home when her children were young. In Betty’s behavior she sought to show a vision of godliness which she carefully carved out of a life full of unexpected challenges, not the least of which was lovingly raising four children on her own after the death of her first husband, Jim. Her response to each challenge was always rooted in love. Betty married William R. “Randy” Childress in August 2011. The two found shared joy in spirituality and music and enjoyed traveling together. They could just sit and talk for hours. In her later years, Randy admirably transitioned to primary caretaker of Betty and was able to experience her charm, beauty, and spirit in a new way. Her children will always be grateful for his loving care. Betty will be remembered by those nearest to her as a woman of conviction, a strong sense of morality, and a selfless nature. Though she will be greatly missed, we understand that she is no longer in pain and are held in comfort by the belief that we will one day see her again. Betty is survived by her loving husband of 13 years, Randy Childress; her children: Denise Woloson (John), James, Mark (Jackie), and Kevin (Laurie); her grandchildren: Thomas, Jessica, Joseph, Samuel, Brooke, Caleb, Sean, Morgan, Kyle, and Johnny; her siblings: Janice Ogborne (David - Deceased), Theodore “Butch” Beatty (Linda), David Beatty (Charlotte), William Beatty (Diane); and her siblings-in-law, Jean Diehl-Nagle and Paul Olson-Diehl (Eric). Betty was preceded in death by her late husband, James Edward Diehl (1946-1985) and her parents. A viewing will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 9:30-11 AM at Brandywine Valley Church, 7 Mt Lebanon Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803, with a service at 11 AM. Burial will follow at Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill, PA. For directions or to send an online condolence, visit www.stranofeeley.com.

Betty Jane Diehl

January 5, 1950 - April 5, 2024

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