Betty Cruse

Betty Varnon Cruse, 82, of Cape Girardeau, passed away peacefully on Friday morning, April 18, 2025, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Betty was the fifth of ten children born to the late John Sam and Pauline Varnon of Morley/Scott City, MO. Betty was the widow of Robert (Bob) Cruse, a native of Scott City, who passed away in 2019. At the time of Bob's death, she and Bob had been married for 55 years. They were the parents of one son, Stephen Robert Cruse, who passed away in 1998. Betty attended Morley public schools until Morley consolidated to create Scott County Central High School in 1959. The following year, Betty graduated from Scott County Central High School. In 1964, Betty completed her BS in Education (math) from Southeast Missouri State University. Later, she completed her master's degree at Webster University, Webster Groves. Betty and Bob were career teachers with the Hazelwood School District of St. Louis County. Betty and Bob were each other's best friends. They both enjoyed their students and their teaching careers (Betty taught math; Bob taught art). If one enjoyed something, the other did, too, and they each doted on their son, Stephen. Betty is survived by sisters Dr. Sue Stacy and Nita (Toby) Roodman of Cape Girardeau, MO; sister Patt Sharp of Kennett, MO; brothers Dr. Tony (Janet) Varnon of Cape Girardeau and Richard (Suzanne) Varnon of Germantown, TN; sister-in-law Deborah (Gary) Anderson of Cape Girardeau; brother-in-law Joe Raffety of Clarksville, TN; nieces Julia Raffety, Mary Raffety, Lily Varnon, Nikki Varnon, Sarah Pruden, and Lisa Enderle; nephews Joshua Varnon, Samuel Varnon, Jim Varnon, Matt Varnon, and Neil Sanders; and great-niece Lucy Varnon. Betty was preceded in death by her sister Dee Raffety; brothers John Sam Varnon, Jr., Stanley Varnon, and Mack Varnon; nieces Jackie Varnon, Vickie Varnon, and Connie Varnon; nephews Michael Varnon and John Varnon; and brothers-in-law Dr. Bill Stacy and Stephen Sharp. Visitation will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 10, at Ford & Sons Funeral Home on Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau, MO, with a memorial service following at 3:00 pm.

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Betty Cruse

August 9, 1942 - April 18, 2025