Dr. Meredith Dean
Betts, 76
Jan. 31, 1947 - Nov. 28, 2023
MILFORD, DE - We celebrate the life, and mourn the loss, of Dr. Meredith Dean "Buddy" Betts (76), of Milford, DE. Dean passed away on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at Bayhealth Sussex Campus, Milford, DE. He was born in Milford during a blizzard, and always loved the winter months. He was the son of the late Walter K. and Jeanette (Griffith) Betts.
Dean was a 1965 graduate of Milford High School. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard and traveled to all 7 continents. The Antarctic, Arctic and Greenland were his favorite places to visit. Upon completing his military career, Dean began his college career at The College of the Albemarle in North Carolina where he earned an Associate's degree before attending East Carolina University. At the age of 25, he became a scholar-athlete playing football and baseball while earning his Bachelor and Masters Degrees. His football teammates appreciated his mature age by calling him "Gramps." He then went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in Adaptive Physical Education and enjoyed a 20-year career in higher education instructing students how to provide sports and physical education programs to children with physical disabilities. Dean spent time at universities in Colorado, Louisiana (where he was the Health and PE Dept Chairperson), New Mexico and Delaware. He moved back to DE in 1988 and after almost 30 years, closed out his career as the Education Associate for Driver's Education for the Delaware Department of Education. He retired in 2016.
Dean was known for his sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. He was known not only for his strong wit but for treating everyone as a friend and wanting to bring joy to those around him. Dean was willing to lend a hand to friends and family and enjoyed helping others in any way he could from advising on academic interests to swinging a hammer, helping with animals, or simply carrying groceries. He was deeply committed to the Milford and Sussex County community, loved the state of Delaware, and being a native Blue Hen.
Dean enjoyed outdoor activities especially hiking, camping, hunting, running, and woodworking. For over 40 years, Dean bred and trained Labrador Retrievers and was a committed animal lover. In 2015, Dean was inducted into the Milford High School Football Hall of Fame.
In addition to his parents; he was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Lofland of Milford, DE.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Mary Glennen Betts of Milford, DE; his daughter, Renee Devereaux Jamison (Brandon) of St. Louis, MO; his siblings, Gloria Jean Simmons of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, Jeannie Fitzgerald of Milford, DE, Keith Betts (Jan) of Wilmington, NC, and Marisa Pendleton (Bob) of Rehoboth, DE.
Friends may call from 12 - 1 pm on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at the Lofland Funeral Home, 102 Lakeview Avenue, Milford, where services will be held at 1 pm. Burial will be in Milford Community Cemetery in Milford.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to the Brandywine Valley S.P.C.A., 1757 Horsepond Road, Dover, DE 19901.
Letters of condolence may be shared with the family at www.loflandandmcknatt.com.