Betty Bee (Bice) Waters, 88, of Carter, SD joined her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, November 8th, 2023 at the Winner Long Term Care Center in Winner, SD. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 18th, 2023 at 10:00AM at the Carter Gospel Church in Carter, SD. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 17th, 2023 from 6-7PM with a 7PM prayer service at the Carter Gospel Church in Carter, SD. Funeral Services will be live streamed through the Mason Funeral Home Facebook page. Click the link to watch the services: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063938806463

Betty was born on April 4, 1935 to Melvin and Roberta (Hampson) Bice. She was the oldest of nine children. Betty attended grade school at the Bice school and graduated from Winner High School in 1953.

On June 28, 1953 she married the love of her life, Dale Waters and together they had 9 children. After spending their first year of marriage in Brookings, the couple returned to the family farm, located in rural Carter, where they remained for almost 65 years until health issues required them to enter assisted living.

As a newly married couple, Dale and Betty came to a realization that they were sinners who could not earn their way to Heaven by doing good works. They both confessed their sins and accepted God's free gift of Salvation, so that after their life ends here on Earth they can spend eternity in Heaven with God.  Betty and Dale were highly instrumental in getting Carter Gospel Fellowship Church started where Betty taught Good News Club, Vacation Bible School, Sunday school and was a pianist for many years. Because she was the pianist, her children sat in the front row at church and were expected to behave themselves. Her faith was a very important part of her life and she shared it with anyone who would listen.   Betty would often include a gospel tract along with the gratuity for restaurant servers.

Early on in her marriage a neighboring housewife shared the advice with Betty to not learn how to drive tractor or she'd be at the men's beck and call. Growing up she had an affinity for cleaning, even locking her siblings out of the house so that it would stay that way until her mother came home.  She poured her heart and soul into her family and home. Many a Sunday she would invite the speaker over for a home cooked meal. On numerous occasions she hosted family and friends. Visitors were made to feel like one of the family.

Betty was blessed with many talents, one of which was music. She instilled the love of music in her children and grandchildren. She was regularly asked to sing or play piano for weddings and funerals. She was truly a soccer mom, before that was a thing, chauffeuring her children to music lessons, sports practice, and cheering them on as they competed. She was a brave soul who took on teaching each of her children how to drive.

Betty and Dale loved traveling to visit their kids and grandkids. She also rode along with Dale to Sunshine Bible Academy when he was on the board and was the adopted mom to many of the students there. She was a member of Idle-a-While, the Gideon Auxiliary, and Steer Inc.

Besides her faith, family and friends, she had a love for dolls. After her children grew up and moved out, she dedicated one room to her collection. It was lovingly called "The Doll Room". Betty was not one to just sit and relax, but on the rare occasion she did, one thing she truly enjoyed was to watch horse racing. So, the summer following her 80th birthday, her husband, several of her children, daughter-in-law and grandchildren took her on a road trip to watch the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, the winner of which went on to become a triple crown winner.

Betty had a smile and a voice that will not soon be forgotten by those whose lives she touched.

Blessed to have shared her life is her husband of 70 years, Dale; sons Steve(Marlajean) Waters of Carter, Mike (Mary) Waters of Idaho Falls,ID, Doug (Kristine) Waters, of Carter, Tim (Judy) Waters of Pierre, Dale (Natasha) Waters Jr. of Park City, KS; daughters Robyn (Tom) Carlson of Biwabik, MN, Kaye (Roland) Gylfe of Beresford, Nicole (Rich) Tims, Shell Lake, WI; bonus daughter for 8 years Sharon Essert; 29 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; sisters Vesta (Vernie) Frank, Debbie (Lennie) Steffen; brothers Don (Ardy) Bice, Jon (Karen) Bice, Greg (Sis) Bice; sister-in-law's Betty Bice & Marilyn Bice; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her son David, parents, mother and father-in-law Rose and Walter Waters, infant grandson Travis Waters, infant granddaughters Emily and Erin Waters, step granddaughters Julie Jorgenson, Rebecca Barrera, great granddaughter Eden Jacobson, sister Patty, brothers Richard and Archie.