Bette Kienbaum

A devoted wife, mother, teacher, and friend, Bette Kienbaum embraced each moment as a gift and every person as a friend. Bette led with her heart in all things and possessed a gift for recognizing and encouraging the positive in everyone. Though firm, Bette was caring and naturally connected with people, especially with children, in meaningful ways. She was never one to simply light up a room; instead, she humbly led by example, inspiring everyone to share warmth and care for one another and teaching these important life skills at every turn.

Despite the obvious gloom of the growing conflict in Europe, 1937 held much to celebrate, including the continued decrease in unemployment. As the Golden Gate Bridge opening gave Americans great pride, Walt Disney premiered "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," and J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel "The Hobbit" was published. When the first blood bank opened, it revolutionized medicine and helped advance modern surgery, as doctors no longer needed donors to be present at the time of transfusion. Nowhere was there more to celebrate than in the James family home as they welcomed their daughter Bette on December 21, 1937.

Growing up in Westland, Michigan, Bette enjoyed the good company of her older brother, Tommy. Bette's father worked as an international representative and was quite a character. Her mother was quiet but firmly put her foot down and helped Bette pursue a career in teaching.

While a student at Western Michigan University, Bette met her future husband, Richard "Dick" Kienbaum, when they were seated in alphabetical order in one of their classes. They not only saw one another in class, but also at many of the events their respective sorority and fraternities participated in together.

After dating for a time, the couple set their hearts on sharing the future. Though Bette still had a semester left to complete, they married on August 13, 1960, shortly after Dick graduated and secured a job.

In 1962, Bette and Dick were overjoyed when their son Ric was born. Four years later, when their son Mike was born, the family was complete. As a parent, Bette was loving, caring, kind, and fun. A steadfast presence in their lives, she and Dick attended all of their special events and cheered on their every endeavor. The family enjoyed spending at least a week away during the summer, usually at a cottage on a local lake, where the boys' friends were welcome to tag along. Bette always ensured their time was fun and educational. Following their week at the lake, they would enjoy a day or two of adventure at Cedar Point. The family also enjoyed traveling outside the state to interesting and beautiful places like Cape Cod, Disneyland, and Key West.

As a teacher, Bette was a force, leading with love and compassion and with a talent for identifying every child's gift and using it to their advantage. Bette was warm, welcoming, and inclusive. She went out of her way to make her history and English classes exciting and engaging, including bringing in a wide variety of guest speakers. While co-teaching with Julane George, the two developed a wonderful friendship. Bette was always vigilant in identifying struggling students and in creating practical tools to get them what they needed. One of these students was a young man who struggled socially. With Bette's loving support, he eventually participated in debate. It's no wonder Bette earned many awards for her accomplishments. In 1997, she received the Significant Educator Award, and in 2017, she was honored with an Influential Education Award after she retired.

Bette was very social and always on the go. She firmly believed in the importance of recognizing others and helped facilitate that by hosting her co-workers at her home. Bette and Dick's annual Christmas party with all of their co-workers was the best; there would be so many guests that they would fill the street. Even though she loved to host, Bette's talents were in delegating, not cooking. A great hostess, her meals often involved throwing ingredients in one pot and calling it good.

A pillar of the community, Bette also worked as a camp counselor at Girl Scout Camp and a lifeguard during the summer breaks from school. Bette then got involved, through a fellow teacher, with the Van Buren Youth Camp. The camp was a shared passion for Bette and Dick, and their family spent much time there while their sons were growing up. A dynamic duo, Bette and Dick worked so well together as teammates. While Dick served as the camp's president, Bette served on the camp's board for a time and was especially proud when her sons followed her lead and became camp counselors. Bette was also involved in the Portage Community Outreach Center and volunteered as Mrs. Claus for 20 years at Christmas.

Always up to something, even though it bothered Dick, Bette would go, go, go. Whether listening to her favorite tunes by Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Beatles, and Jerry Reed on a '70s 8-track in the car or dancing to live music, Bette enjoyed every moment she was given. Though she wasn't religious, she was deeply spiritual, as evidenced by her choice to center her life on love, empathy, and care for others. She loved everyone and firmly believed that with support, a person didn't need to be the brightest to be their best.

In retirement, Bette and Dick enjoyed spending more time together, laughing, learning, and relishing in sharing life's simple pleasures. Inseparable, they explored much of the world, including a six-week dream trip to visit one of Bette's former students, who had become an international attorney and invited them to his home in China. Bette was also pleased when her brother, Tommy, moved to Kalamazoo to be closer to her in retirement. But most of all, Bette’s greatest joy in life was being a grandmother, a role she embraced with a full and generous heart. Nothing mattered more to her than her grandchildren, James, Tyler, Sarah, Rachel, and Ricky. She cherished every moment spent with them, from the smallest conversations to the biggest family celebrations. Spoiling them wasn’t just something she did; it was one of her greatest pleasures.

An inspiration to all who were blessed to know her, Bette's beautiful legacy is sure to thrive in the lives of those she so dearly loved. In each moment we choose to greet the day with grace, gratitude, generosity, and a healthy dose of humor, confidently face life's challenges, encourage others' dreams, explore life with our beloved, and cherish time spent with loved ones, we celebrate the countless ways Bette made the world a better place.

Bette Kienbaum, Age 87, died on Monday, November 17, 2025. Bette was born December 21, 1937 in Detroit to Thomas and Margaret James. Bette was preceded in death by her husband Richard "Dick" Kienbaum, parents, and her brother Tom (Marsha) James. Surviving are her children Ric (Julie) Kienbaum and Mike Kienbaum; grandchildren: James, Tyler, Ricky, Sarah (Phil) Johnson, and Rachel Boyer; great-grandchildren: Madelyn, Oliver, Michael, and Mackenzie; and many nieces and nephews.

Please join us at a Life Story Service on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 11AM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center where food, drinks, and stories can be shared.

Celebrate Bette’s life by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Portage Community Center.