Betty Joan (Manning) Dobbs

Betty Joan (Manning) Dobbs, born July 31, 1931, died after a long illness on February 1, 2018. Betty was born the 5th of 6 children in Bowling Green, KY, to the late Arthur and Molly Helen Manning. She was preceded in death by husband, Dewaine Wilson Dobbs in 1994. Betty lived in Bowling Green until 1950 when she and Dewaine moved with their baby to Louisville, settling in the PRP area for 55 years. Moving from a small town to the big city was at first disconcerting, but neighbors, friends and church family made all the difference to her. In 2007 she moved to Prospect and in 2016 to THRIVE memory care. In both her home and at THRIVE many wonderful caregivers ministered to her needs. Betty became a widow in 1994 when her beloved Dewaine died after complications from ALS. Betty modeled gentle and loving caregiving to Dewaine during this time. She kept up her active life of volunteer work, hospital visitation, travel and entertaining. She was both a leader and a follower in her church, Briargate Presbyterian, TWIGS of Children’s Hospital, and Shively Area Ministries. Betty leaves to celebrate her life, daughter Donna Melloan (Rick), and sons, Ron (Vicky) and David (Cathy) Dobbs. Her grandchildren, Joel (Kimberly) and Jeremy (Jennifer) Melloan, Allison Dobbs and Angela (John) Keane brought her absolute joy and were the lights of her life. Because of a brain injury in 2002, she did not really know her 8 great grandchildren, Joshua, Justin, Ashley, Molly, Jayden, Abby, Elizabeth and Joseph. But her sparkling blue eyes when she held them told us she knew they belonged to her. Betty lived her life with the hope that one day Jesus would say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. A celebration of her life will be 12 p.m. Saturday at Briargate Presbyterian Church, 2100 Upper Hunters Trace with burial to follow at Louisville Memorial Gardens West. Visitation will be 2 – 8 p.m. Friday at Owen Funeral Home, 5317 Dixie Highway. Betty loved to cook and helped lead many outreach activities from her church kitchen. Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of contributions to Briargate Presbyterian Church, 2100 Upper Hunters Trace, Louisville, KY, 40216, to upgrade the old kitchen to continue serving the community in that ministry. Or, other contributions to the Brain Injury Association of Kentucky, to help other surviving brain injuries.