David Betts I

David Michael Betts I, of the Seymour, Missouri, area, passed away on September 10, 2026. If you knew David, you knew one thing for certain: he was going to talk to you. David never met a stranger, and he rarely met a conversation he couldn't make longer. In addition to that, David was one of the most thankful people you ever met.

At the center of David's life was his faith in Jesus. Through the years, faith remained a source of hope, and it is with that hope that his family says goodbye, knowing that David is free from the struggles of this earthly world and now in the presence of our Creator.

David was born July 30, 1960, in Ohio, to Jack and Judith Betts. For the last 25 years, he called the Seymour, Missouri, area home. He moved to Springfield, Missouri, to attend Evangel University and later transferred to Southwest Missouri State University. His family eventually followed him to Missouri, and the rest is history.

David was an accomplished man who never seemed content to sit still for long. He graduated from SMSU with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He gave accounting a try, but quickly discovered that sitting behind a desk was not his bailiwick (a word he used). David was a natural-born entrepreneur who was always willing to dip his toes into just about any new endeavor. Over the years, those ventures eventually led him to the work that suited him best: home building, cabinet making, and real estate investing.

David was a gifted craftsman whose talent seemed to have been built right into him. He had an extraordinary ability to build beautiful homes and create custom cabinetry, taking raw materials and turning them into something lasting and beautiful. He loved his work so much that it wasn't simply his career—it was his hobby, his passion, and one of the ways he expressed himself.

One of David's favorite sayings, passed down from his Grandma Betts, was “Many hands make light work.” He believed in getting things done, and he understood the value of people working together. This work ethic is something he passed down to his children and many others. In his later years, another saying became especially meaningful to his immediate family: “The Betts never give up.” It was a phrase he often repeated, and one his family will never forget.

But those who knew David know that one of his greatest gifts was the way he could bring joy to the people he encountered.

A simple trip to Lowe's could easily turn into a long conversation with someone he'd just met. Whenever he visited a church, it wasn't unusual for people to assume he was one of the greeters because he seemed perfectly at home welcoming and talking to everyone who walked through the door.

He was an enthusiastic soul, warm, outgoing, generous with his conversation, and genuinely interested in people. David had a way of making strangers feel noticed and cared for.

His recent years brought him down a very long and difficult road through early-onset dementia, followed by colon cancer. But dementia and cancer do not get the final word on David's life.

He is free now.

David is survived by his wife, Leah Betts; his parents, Jack and Judith Betts; his children, David Betts II and wife, Candice, Brandon Betts and wife, Holly, Amber Hansen and husband, Erik, Esther Betts, Sophia Betts, and Jedidiah Betts; and his eleven grandchildren, David, Noah, Ava, Malachi, Riley, Cohen, Gannon, Elise, Judah, Alexander, and Viktor.

He is also survived by his sisters, Sue Jones and husband, Dale, and Carolyn Wells and husband, Thad; his nephews, Matt and Elijah, and niece, Candace; and his former wife, Melisa Thomas and her husband, Mike, who remain an important part of the family story and the lives they shared.

David leaves behind more than houses and cabinetry. He leaves behind memories, stories, laughter, conversations that went on far longer than anyone expected, and the imprint of a man who simply could not pass someone by without making a connection.

His faith gave him hope.

His hands built beautiful things.

His personality brought light to the people he encountered.

And his family will carry his memory with them.

The Betts never give up.

Rest well, David. The prison doors are open. Go build something beautiful.

Memorial contributions may be made to the David Betts I Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home.