MILFORD - Betty L. Warren, 86, passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, after a brief illness. She had resided at State Street Assisted Living in Dover since 2009. She was born on March 7, 1925, in Webster Groves, Mo., to parents Fred J. and Bessie Lee Key Lindhorst. Betty graduated from Webster Groves High School in 1943, then Drury College in Springfield, with a BA in Economics (cum laude) in 1947, and obtained additional professional certifications in teaching from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Delaware. In 1983, she received her Delaware School Psychometrist Certification from Salisbury State College. After starting her teaching career in Missouri, she served as a teacher in Wiesbaden, Germany with the United States Air Force School System where she met her husband Melville F. Warren, Sr., who was also an educator. They were married in Switzerland in 1957. Upon returning to the United States, Betty resumed teaching in Oxford, Pa., and subsequently became the Director of the Dover Kindergarten in the early 1960's, after moving to Dover. Betty was employed by the Capital School District as a teacher at South Dover Elementary School in the late 1960's and was named Coordinator of the Kent County Orthopedic School in 1979, a position she held until her retirement. Perhaps her proudest accomplishment, in addition to her relationships with the students and staff, was assisting in establishing a state of the art playground for children with special needs which opened at the school in 1980. Betty received many academic awards and participated in numerous activities in high school and college including the National Thespian Society , Choir, National Forensic League (Degree of Excellence), Missouri Girls' State Representative of Drury Senate and Beta Beta Beta Science Honorary. Some of her educational affiliations included American Association of University Women, Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Alpha Delta Kappa Association, Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, ASCD and the Council for Exceptional Children where she served as a Delegate and Officer. While in Dover, Betty became involved as President of the Dover Century Club (1962-1964), Kent County YMCA Board of Directors and Member of the Building Committee, Junior Board of Kent General Hospital, was a long time Dover Days hostess for the Barros House and Pleasanton Abbey, both residences of dear friends. She was appointed to the Delaware Foster Care Review Board in 1986 and held this post for nearly a decade and exhibited great passion and time for important decisions of the Board affecting the lives of children. Betty greatly enjoyed cooking and playing bridge with friends through her many years in Delaware. Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Melville F. Warren Sr. in 2008; and a brother, Fred W. Lindhorst Sr., of Bonne Terre, Mo. She is survived by a son, Melville F. Warren Jr., and his wife Peni G. Warren; two grandsons, Chase and Cameron, all of Dover. Betty is also survived by a niece and her husband, Linda and Randy Prewitt of Bonne Terre, Mo., and a nephew, Fred W. Lindhorst Jr., of Dover. Friends are invited to join Betty's family from 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, 1145 E. Lebanon Rd. (Rt. 10) Dover. A Celebration of Life service will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Bayhealth Foundation, 640 S. State St., Dover, DE 19901 or Wesley United Methodist Church, 209 S. State St., Dover, DE 19901.