Rev. Dr. Nicholas Leonard Betts

Reverend Dr. Nicholas L. Betts was born on March 22, 1966 in Memphis, Tennessee and was the only child of Willie Neal and Jennie Mary Betts. He departed this life early Wednesday morning, November 23, 2022. As a child, Reverend Betts was nurtured in the Greenwood C.M.E. Church in Memphis, TN and was a product of the Memphis Public School system. While in high school, he was called by God to preach at the age of 17 and at the age of 19 he received his first pastoral appointment to the Jones Grove C.M.E. Church in Humboldt, Tennessee. He was later ordained as a traveling Deacon and Elder and admitted into full Connection in the West Tennessee Annual Conference. Reverend Betts attended Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Psychology. He continued his pursuit for education at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia receiving a Master of Divinity Degree, majoring in Christian Education with a minor in Clinical Psychology. While in Graduate School, he was pastor of the Rock of Ages C.M.E. Church, Augusta, Georgia and after completing Graduate School, was assigned to pastor the Bakers Chapel C.M.E. Church in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. In May of 2000, he also received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity, Jackson Theological Seminary - Shorter College, Little Rock, Arkansas. Reverend Betts also pastored the St. Peter’s C.M.E. Church in Flint, Michigan (1992-1995) and Greater Cleaves C.M.E. Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1995-2000). In July 2000, Reverend Betts was assigned to pastor the Israel Metropolitan C.M.E. Church in Gary, Indiana. At Israel, Pastor Betts lead community service initiatives that fed and tutored youth and helped them to obtain their GED and ministries to support singles and senior citizens. During this time, Pastor Betts also worked with the Gary City Drug Court, which was a program that offered participants alternatives to incarceration. While working with the Gary City Drug Court, he provided spiritual counseling and mentoring to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and substance abuse. This is where he met Valerie, who was the Gary City Court Administrator. She later became the love of his life. Pastor Betts and Valerie were married in May of 2004. Shortly after, they were relocated to Richmond, California where he was assigned from 2005-2012 to pastor at Davis Chapel C.M.E. Church where he was an integral part of its rebuilding project. During their life together, Pastor and Mrs. Betts would continue to serve in several churches over the years: Warren Chapel C.M.E. Church, San Pedro, California (2012); Century Chapel C.M.E. Church, Sacramento, California (2012-2015) and Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church, Toledo, Ohio (2015-2018). In 2018, Pastor and Sis. Betts were relocated to serve at Miles Chapel C.M.E. Church in Texarkana, Arkansas. While in Texarkana, Pastor Betts was an active member of the Texarkana Christian Fellowship and would frequently sing with the Male chorus at Miles Chapel. He was also Patron Pastor for the Missionary Society, Arkansas Region. Reverend Betts never met a stranger…always friendly, kind and relishing every hug, handshake, and moments of laughter; he was a loyal and faithful friend and brother to many. An avid Dallas Cowboy fan, while helping the coach call out plays when watching them, he would always excitedly yell out “how bout them Cowboys!” Pastor Betts remained tirelessly committed, even at great personal sacrifices, to serving God and the CME Church even through his sickness. Pastor Betts was preceded in death by his parents Willie Neal and Jennie Mary Betts; uncles, Otis Fields, Jr. and Bob Fields; aunt, Clastella Fields-Hickman; grandparents, Otis Fields, Sr. and Willie Mae Fields; sister-in-law, Doddleatha Roby and brother-in-law John W. Williams. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife Valerie; sister, Andrea Eason; Valerie’s daughters Kimberly (Karl) Jenkins and Kelli (James III) Stanton; uncles, Everett (Martha) Fields and Joe (Alice) Fields; aunts, Lillian Fields and Roberta (Kevin) Montgomery; sisters-in-law, Leslie Williams and Ellen (Ray) Smedley; four bonus grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, many friends and the C.M.E. Church family.

Rev. Dr. Nicholas Leonard Betts

March 22, 1966 - November 23, 2022