Betty King Ottenfeld

Betty Ottenfeld, 89, of Kingsport, Tennessee passed away Sunday, March 1, 2020 at her home.

Betty was a native of Sullivan County and the daughter Carl Alexander and Mary Faye Rutledge King. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Neil Ottenfeld, two sisters, Martha Espey and Ora Mason, and her two brothers, Horace and Howard King, as well her sister-in-law, Agnes King, and brothers-in-law, Dan Espey and Fred Mason.

Betty was a deacon and long-time member of Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church. She was full-time wife and mother of six children, a calling she took on with gusto. For many years she was a Girl Scout leader and member of the Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church Choir.  Betty used her many gifts to pursue a variety of interests: she enjoyed playing her dulcimer, wild flower gardening, bird watching, basket weaving, and bread baking.  She was a life-long member of the Audubon Society and was always “on call” to rehabilitate injured birds in order to return them to the wild.  She was proud to be a member of Eastman Chemical’s Inaugural Advisory Board for Environmental and Community Issues and also gave her time for many years to volunteering at Bays Mountain and the Exchange Place Living History Museum for which she was featured in Southern Living Magazine.  Her husband Neil was very proud of the fact that Betty was crowned Miss Sullivan County in 1951 and was willing to relinquish her reign to marry him!

Mrs. Ottenfeld is survived by daughters Karen Vann (John), Gretchen Bentley (Clyde), Hilda Shepherd (Bill), Alda Smith (Dave), Heidi Abele (Chuck), and son Conrad (Lynn) as well as 21 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and many special nieces and nephews.

Heartfelt thanks from the family goes out to Brookdale Rock Springs nursing staff for their love and attention over the years and to Amedisys Hospice for their care in these final days of Betty’s life. 

A memorial service in witness to the resurrection will take place at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2020 with the Reverend Brad Walker. The family will greet friends following the service in the church’s Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church or the charity of your choice.