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Betty Sommer was a former faculty member at Bluffton University

Memorial service is Monday

Betty D. Sommer, 72, died Nov. 7, 2017, at Willow Ridge - Betty House in Bluffton. 

Betty was born Nov. 27, 1944, in Crisfield, Maryland, to the late Fred and Amelia (Kurtz) Detwiler. After meeting her late husband, Willis during voluntary service work in Kenya, they married on May 22, 1976.  Willis preceded her in death on June 23, 2017.

Betty graduated from Marion High School in Marion, Maryland. She received her bachelor's degree in Social Work from Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, and later her master's degree in Social Work from the University of Denver. 

At Bluffton Betty was a part-time faculty member in social work for four years, then a full-time, faculty member in the social work department for 20 years. Betty was a member of First Mennonite Church, Bluffton.

Survivors include a daughter, Jennifer (Darby) Benroth of Bluffton; a son, Matthew (Emily Palmquist) Sommer of Flagstaff, Arizona; two grandsons, Bodey and Barrett Benroth; a sister, Doris (Jerry) Henderson of Pocomoke City, Maryland; a brother, Marvin Detwiler of Pocomoke City, Maryland; and a sister in law, Joan Criveli of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Betty was preceded in death by a brother, Lawrence Detwiler, and a sister-in-law, Pat Detwiler.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Nov. 13, at First Mennonite Church in Bluffton. Pastors Wanda Stopher and George O'Reilly will officiate. 

Visitation will be Sunday from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services - Bluffton. 

Memorial contributions may be made to First Mennonite Church or Bluffton University.

Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.

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