Richard A. Betting of Valley City, ND died March 24, 2023. Richard, or Dick as he was known to friends, was born September 6, 1934, in Forman, ND to Raymond and Mary Betting. He grew up among the farm fields and grasslands of Sargent County, working in his parents’ grocery store, playing sports, and hunting. Dick graduated from Forman High School in 1952, and St John’s University in 1956, and began his teaching career at Havana (ND) High School that same year. He married Edith Geraldine Smith August 24, 1957, and that fall Dick and Edie moved to Milwaukee where he continued his education at Marquette University. Dick became a professor of English at Valley City State College in 1966. He completed his doctorate in English Literature at the University of Northern Colorado in 1972. While teaching at VCSC, Dick branched out into real estate in the mid-70’s, becoming a sales agent, broker, and finally starting an appraisal company with Edie in the late 70’s.
Dick and Edie moved to a farm south of Valley City in 1991, where he could indulge his love of the outdoors, tractors, and power tools. Dick could build anything, his friends say, even making a solar power collector from scratch. His grandchildren loved the farm and have many happy memories of Grandpa’s stories around a bonfire in the woods
along the Sheyenne River.
Dick taught at VCSU until he and Edie traveled to China in 2000, where he taught English in the city of Ningbo. Dick and Edie enjoyed many trips to Europe, Australia, and Arizona. In 2003, he published “China Diary 2000,” as well as the novel “Hayfield.” In 2008 he published “Grammar Today.” Along with his love of the arts, Dick was passionate and tenacious when he believed in a cause, and he devoted many hours to the environmental group People to Save the Sheyenne. After many happy years on the farm, Dick and Edie returned to Valley City in 2012.
Dick died at Maple View Memory Care in Fargo ND, and the family would like to thank the staff for their kindness and compassion during this difficult time. Dick will be remembered as a funny, kind, and wonderful person by his family, many friends, and thousands of students. He leaves behind Edie, his wife of 65 years; sisters Barbara, Eleanor, Geraldine, and Patricia; children Mary (Greg), Teri (Jon), Lynn (Steve), Gary (Suzy), and Tom (Karen); grandchildren Amanda, Hannah, Theo, Sadie, Lukas, Jax, Dash, Chase, Cameron, and Abby; great-grandchildren Ellery and Emmet; and many nieces and nephews.
Dick was preceded in death by his brother Bob and sister Debbie. We will celebrate Dick’s life on June 3, 2023, at 2pm at Lerud Mathias Funeral Home in Valley City. The Lerud Mathias Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. An online guestbook is available at www.lerudmathias.com