Betty Ruth Tatum

Betty Ruth Tatum, 88, of Ozark, Mo., died at her home west of Selmore early Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, surrounded by and cared for by her family. She was born July 12, 1929, in rural Jasper County, near Reeds, the seventh of 11 children of Ira and Lena Snyder. She attended Arthur Elementary School and graduated from Sarcoxie High School in 1947. She moved to Springfield after graduation and worked at Union National Bank until her marriage in 1949 to Huber Tatum of Ozark.They lived on the Tatum homestead at Selmore with her father-in-law Faires Tatum and sister-in-law Lena Tatum until they bought a farm west of Selmore in 1950 and moved to the home where she and Huber lived the rest of their lives. When her youngest child started school, Betty returned to work outside the home, first with the Ozark R-12 School District and then for 30 years at Fasco Industries in Ozark. She returned to school in the 1980s to learn drafting and retired from the Fasco engineering department in 1991 to begin full-time grandmothering, with traveling, gardening and volunteer work on the side. Betty's faith was the bedrock of her life and she and Huber were active members of Selmore Christian Church where she was a choir member and often sang solo hymns. She belonged to the Christian Women's Fellowship and Ozark Extension Club. She is survived by daughters Beth Tatum and Lee Ann Day and husband Leslie; sons Carroll Wayne Tatum and wife Jonna, and Bil Tatum and wife Julie; 10 grandchildren (Erin, Tahd, Kyle, Shyra, Caleb, Skyler, Tara, Bryan, Amanda and Scott) and their spouses; 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; brother Levi Snyder, sisters Alice Bowers and Edith Willard and more nieces and nephews than we can count. She was preceded in death by her husband Huber; her parents; sisters Barbara and Vesta; brothers Rex, Harold, Herbert, Glenn and Russell; her beloved Aunt Edith Markley and great-great-grandson Quillan. The family would like to thank neighbors and friends for their help and support during Mom's last few months, in particular caregiver Gaye Bryant, Mom's "third daughter" Cynthia Branstetter and hospice nurses and aides Cathy, Dana, Carissa, Tonya and Anne. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Adams Funeral Home in Ozark. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Selmore Christian Church, with burial at Selmore Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Butterfield Boys Ranch in Marshall, Mo. or to the maintenance fund at Selmore Cemetery.