In keeping with the Olympic spirit, on Saturday, August 10, 2024, Betty Jo Demetre was accompanied across the finish line of life's great marathon race by her Heavenly Father, for Whom she had lived, loved and served so faithfully. At just a month shy of 90 years of age, Betty had run the race, and this past Saturday, as her body and mind were about to give way to the past few years of dementia and strokes, her Father heard her clearly, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," at which point, He joined her for the final steps across the line.

She was born Betty Jo Oxner on September 25, 1934, to David and Thelma Oxner in West Helena, Arkansas. The 3rd of 5 children, she grew up laughing and loving life, and all those in her life. While just a teenager in West Helena, she met a teenage boy who had hitchhiked to her town to preach in her church. Little did she realize that she would meet up with him again at Bethany-Peniel College - Bethany Nazarene College, now Southern Nazarene University. In 1953, she married the love of her life, Jerry Larkin Demetre and it was then that she began a life of service to the Lord, as she and Jerry accepted the call to ministry that would take them to various churches in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. They also served for many years as missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene in what was then British Guiana, South America. From there, they served for a short while in Barbados, and then for several years in Montego Bay and Kingston, Jamaica.

A Proverbs 31 woman, Betty willingly served the lost and needy, right beside her husband. She never wavered as their calling sometimes took them down uncertain roads to proclaim the Word and provide for needs of others. She never sought the spotlight and gladly took the role of service. She was fiercely protective of her husband, daughters and grandchildren and was at the forefront of sharing the love and lessons of God with them.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry; her parents, David and Thelma Oxner; and siblings, Tennie, Francis and Bill.

She is survived by her sister, Brenda Doss; daughter, Debbie Eastman and husband David; daughter, Teresa "Trinket" VanZant and husband Don; grandchildren, Demetri, Staci (James), Stephen (Chelsea) and Brady (Sierra); and 8 great-grandchildren.

While we mourn our earthly loss, we rejoice at Heaven's gain. After almost 30 years, Betty is rejoined with Jerry. As she could so often be heard cheering on her grandchildren at their sporting events, she can now be heard, as she has taken her place, on the front row of that "great cloud of witnesses," cheering us on in this race we are running. Lives are forever changed because of a life well-lived, a race well-run….

Well done Betty Jo, My good and faithful servant… welcome home!

Viewing at Mercer-Adams will be Tuesday, 10am-8pm. A Celebration of Betty's life will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, August, 14, 2024 at Mercer-Adams Chapel. The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed on this obituary page.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Betty's name may be made to The Guardian Project at https://theguardianprojectinc.com/ or by mailing a check to 7113 NW 31st Street, Bethany, OK  73008.