Obituary of Bette I Mindler

Bette I Mindler passed peacefully on May 7, 2022. She was born to Bessie (Searles) and CK Auyong, and grew up in Owego, NY. Bette was proud of her career as an elementary school teacher at Vestal Center and Clayton Ae, where her students often returned to visit her. A lifelong knitter, Bette enjoyed designing specialty sweaters to help her friends market their handspun and hand-dyed yarns. She is survived by her daughter, Cindy King, from her first marriage to Ralph Waters, and her step-son LaMar Mindler Jr., from her second marriage to LaMar Mindler Sr. Her grandsons, Jeff King, Justin King, and Nicholas King also attended Owego Free Academy. She had twelve additional grandchildren through her marriage to LaMar, and there are great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren as well. She is remembered by several nieces and nephews in the area. Bette was a lay minister with the Lutheran Church and spent many hours reading to shut-ins and shopping for them. She was an avid reader and passed on the gift to future generations. Bette and LaMar enjoyed boating on Cayuga Lake, socializing with friends, and were active in the Order of Eastern Star for many years. They enjoyed traveling and made several trips to visit her cousins in Hawaii. After several years at Good Shepherd Village, they relocated to StoryPoint, in Michigan, to be closer to LaMar Jr. A memorial service will be held at Coleman Daniels on Main Street in Vestal, Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 9:00 AM. Friends are welcome to join the family for this simple service. Donations in Bette's memory may be made to Literacy Volunteers of Broome-Tioga Co., Inc.