Bette F. Murnin, age 92, was born Elizabeth Floy Gerke on March 18, 1918, the only child of Ray and Gladys Redhouse Gerke in Omaha, NE. She died September 8, 2010, at the Aiken Regional Medical Centers, Aiken, SC. Her Funeral will take place on Monday, September 13, 2010 at 11am at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Aiken. The family will receive freinds on Sunday evening, 6-8pm at George Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 211 Park Ave. SW Aiken, SC. A precocious child, Elizabeth became "Bette" while in high school and graduated from Benson High with a Dance Scholarship in hand to Baker University, Baldwin City KS. Graduated with a BA in Secondary Education, Physical Education was her major and Social Studies her minor. While in college she earned a Bronze Medal in Archery in the Olympics. Her worldview as an educator was already formed. While at Baker, Bette was active in the Alpha Chi Omega women's fraternity and remained active all of her life. During World War I and II Alpha Chi Omega offered its support by helping working mothers who were married to service men by providing day nurseries and helping orphaned French children. She and her then husband, Burl H. Maxwell, were co-owners and managers of the College Café following WW II, across from Baker's campus. In 1948, Mr. Maxwell accepted the position of Principal and Teacher of Grades 5-8 at the Kittredge Elementary School in Kittredge, CO. Bette worked as a dietician in Wheatridge, for several years. She worked with the 1950 Census. Her picture appeared on the cover of Life Magazine wearing skies as she visited Rocky Mountain residences. She then worked for the Office of Price Stabilization under the Eisenhower Presidency, a career in Federal Employment she returned to later. Following their divorce, Bette then taught Girls Physical Education in Brighton and Sterling, CO, and then Juneau, AK. After a year in Juneau, she moved with her two sons Robert and Chris to Elkhart, IN, where she taught at Moran Jr. High. In 1958, she began work towards a MA in H. S. Guidance and Counseling. Upon completion of her Masters degree, in 1960, she started the first High School Guidance Program in Merrillville, IN. In 1966, Bette went back into federal employment with the US Department of Education at the Chicago Regional Office. She became a Program Specialist designing, implementing and evaluating projects in the Upper Midwest Region and especially enjoyed her work on Native American Reservations. While living in Chicago she married Joseph A Murnin. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. Murnin died from a coronary infarction. A distinguished officer during WWII, he was buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery NFS Annex. Her casket will be placed just above his. Bette remained with the Department of Education and transferred to the Denver Regional Office to be near her mother. Bette was active in the Federal Employees Union and NEA at the local, regional and then on the national level. She served on the Board of Directors and as Secretary of the NEA. Bette retired from the Department of Education in 1985. In 1997, she moved from her Lakewood, CO, townhouse to Aiken, South Carolina, where her son Christopher and wife Nina live. She then spent time living in Summit Trinity, and in Mattie C. Hall before moving to Azalea Woods where she resided at the time of her death. She is survived by two sons; Christopher Maxwell, Aiken, SC and Rev. Robert Manning Maxwell. Belen, NM. five grandchildren; Heather Seider, Aiken, Todd Maxwell, Summerville, SC, Jeff Maxwell, Tuscan, AZ, David Maxwell, Irwin, TN and Karen Morris, Hernandez, NM. She is also survived by three great grandsons; Ethan Morris and Spencer Morris, Hernandez, NM and Brandon West, Augusta, GA.