Bette Ellen Fundenberger, 79, of Grain Valley, MO died Sunday evening, January 28, 2024 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, MO surrounded by her family. Services will be held February 17, 2024 at Faith United Methodist Church in Grain Valley, MO.  Visitation will be held at 10:00, with the service at 11:00.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the church to be used for a memorial garden fund.

Bette was born July 06, 1944 in Colorado Springs, CO, the daughter of Clifford Hart and Bette Holdridge Hart. Bette graduated high school in Spokane, WA, although she always considered Dunbar, NE, her high school home as she moved just prior to her senior year of school.  Despite moving several times, Colorado was always close to her heart, and she returned to visit numerous times over the years to visit relatives and for family vacations.  Bette married David Fundenberger on November 24, 1968 and a daughter and a son were born to this union.  Bette had a strong work ethic and spent numerous years working for the Shawnee Mission School District, as well as Farmers Insurance Company and JCPenney.  She also incorporated her hobby of yard work and tending to flowers into side employment; mowing lawns both for profit and personal upkeep.  She was talented with her sewing machine and crochet needles, making clothing for her children and crocheting many gifts for loved ones as well as complete strangers.  One of her projects involved crocheting over a dozen baby afghans to be taken to the Dominican Republic by a medical mission group for babies to have upon waking up from surgery.  Bette was a very active member of the Faith United Methodist Church in Grain Valley, sometimes spending parts of more days of the week than not, in a variety of volunteer roles.  These included activities such as assisting the church office administrator and making sure everyone received a birthday and anniversary card on their special day, serving in the church kitchen, writing devotions for the weekly e-newsletter, playing the piano and reading the liturgy for certain worship services, teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school, planting flowers near the church entrance, and helping to greet attendees at Sunday morning services.  She was a member of the ladies’ Bible study group.

Survivors include her children:  Melinda Striyle and husband Gary of Phoenix, AZ, and Timothy Fundenberger and wife Melinda Meyer of Kansas City, MO, brother Tom Hart and wife Doreen, sisters-in-law Winnie Hart and Carolyn Hart; grandchildren Gage Striyle, Emma Fundenberger and Henry Fundenberger.

Bette was preceded in death by her parents; siblings Herb Hart, Joseph Hart, and Mary Easterling, brother-in-law Dwayne Easterling, and daughter-in-law Connie Fundenberger.

Obituary submitted by family.

Arrangements:  Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley, MO   816-847-4441