Cover photo for Bettye Lou Murdick – Augsburger's Obituary
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1924 Bettye 2008

Bettye Lou Murdick – Augsburger

February 2, 1924 — February 11, 2008

Bettye Lou (Overmyer) Murdick-Augsburger, a well-known pioneer in children’s ministry, died at 10:05 pm. on Monday, February 11, 2008, in the Swiss Village Retirement Home, Berne, Indiana. She was 84-years-old.

Born on February 2, 1924, in Kewanna, Indiana, to Charlie and Esther Overmyer, Bettye Lou attended Aubbeenaubee School and graduated from Kewanna High School with the class of 1943.

In 1945, Bettye married Roy E. Murdick of South Bend, Indiana, who preceded her in death in 1978. In 1982, she married the Rev. Ivan Augsburger of Berne, Indiana, who preceded her in death in 2006.

For 25 years, she was the Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship for Marshall, Starke and Fulton counties, then known as the Tri-County Evangelism Fellowship. Through this affiliation, she was a pioneer in children’s ministry with innovations such as home based after-school Bible clubs (the Good News Clubs) during the school year and “Five Day Clubs” during the summer months. She also was among the first to provide Para-church ministries at 4-H Fairs and festivals in the summer, directed summer Bible schools in many churches in the area and taught puppetry and its use in children’s ministry.

After Roy’s death, she traveled to Kenya, Africa, and produced a weekly puppet program for the BBC. Her marriage to Ivan brought many short term assignments abroad and she enjoyed recounting her experiences to her children and grandchildren.

Bettye Lou is survived by her son, Michael (Adele) Murdick of Franklin, Indiana, and a daughter, Faye (Sam) Davenport of Granger, Indiana.

Ivan’s children, Maxine ( Keith) Hague, Cedarville, Ohio, and Ivan (Carien) Augsburger of Amsterdam, Netherlands also survive, together with thirteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A brother, James D. (Jean) Overmyer of New Castle, Indiana, survives as well.

Friends are invited to celebrate Bettye Lou’s life with her family on Thursday, February 14, 2008, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1110 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. Funeral services will be held following visitation at 7 p.m. The Rev. James Fair will officiate.

Burial will be on Friday in the Leiters Ford I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Leiters Ford, Indiana.

Memorial contributions are requested to be directed to CEF of North Central Indiana, 14086 Michigan Rd., Argos, Indiana, 46501.
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