Bette Christman

Bette Jeanne Christman passed peacefully in her sleep on Monday October 19, 2026, one month shy of her 99th birthday.

She was born and raised in New Concord, OH, the eldest of two children of Eugene and Thelma Shaw. After her graduation from Muskingum College in 1949, Bette started her professional life in Nelsonville, OH as a parish social worker for the Presbyterian Board of National Missions.

Bette married Edward G. Christman, Jr. on September 23, 1951. They shared life’s journey for 57 years, raising three children – Cathy, Debbie, and Chris – while living in the Christman family home on Wayne Avenue in Zanesville. Life was filled with family activities, tent camping and travel in the family station wagon among her favorites. Bette also enjoyed sewing, making candles, and supporting her children’s many creative interests and later cherished her role as Grandma.

In the early 1960’s Bette returned to Muskingum College for coursework towards her teaching credentials. She began her career at Maysville High School as a part-time general education teacher. Bette often said “I’ve taught everything except math.” Indeed over the course of her tenure a Maysville, she taught geography, sociology, psychology, biology, history, Girls Phys Ed, staffed the library, served as senior class advisor, and created a course called “The Bubble Class” for advanced (gifted) students to explore different topics not regularly found in the high school curriculum. When the need arose at her school for specialized instruction, she attended Ohio University for her Master’s Degree in Special Education. Bette continued teaching students with learning disabilities until her retirement from Maysville at the age of 68.

While at Maysville, Bette established the school’s Service Learning program. She firmly believed that students who engaged in volunteer service better understood their community and the importance of their education. After her retirement from the classroom, she continued as the Service Learning coordinator for several years and worked as an itinerant teacher for Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center providing instructional support to students who were unable to attend in the classroom.

Bette was known by a variety of different identities. Mother to her three children and ‘pseudo mom’ to countless others, doting Grandma and Auntie. Bette was a Brownie, Junior, and Cadet Girl Scout Leader and served on the Heart Of Ohio Girl Scout Council. She was an actress, director, producer with the Zanesville Community Theater. For many years she literally took on different personas when she she presented dramatic monologues as famous women including biblical characters like The Woman at the Well, historic figures such as Lemonade Lucy Hayes, and the familiar cultural icon, Irma Bombeck.

Christian faith guided Bette’s life. She was was active 75-year member of Central Trinity United Methodist Church. She sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, was a lay leader, member of various church committees, and founded a fellowship group for seniors. She also served in leadership roles in the Foothills District and the West Ohio Conference of the UMC as well as multiple committee and board appointments for United Methodist Women. She was called to provide after school services for youth and therefore helped establish the Life Well Community Center on West Main Street and served on the Board of Directors. For some years, Bette was also a volunteer chaplain at Bethesda Hospital and Helen Purcell Home.

Bette is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Irv and Jean Bell; her children and their spouses Catherine and Mike Dorman, Deborah and Lex Vinsel, and Edward G. “Chris” Christman III and Mark G. Birchette, Jr.; grandchildren and their spouses Nick and Lara Dorman and Andrew and Rachel Dorman; great-grandchildren Joanna Dorman and Maisie Dorman; and beloved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward G. Christman, Jr., mother and step-father Thelma and Arthur Bell, brother George “Ben” Shaw, and sister, Virginia Bell Carey.

Bette’s family thanks the staff at Primrose Retirement Community and Interim Hospice Services for the support they provided. Special recognition and thanks to Samantha Wells and Wayne West for the loving care they gave Mom these past many years.

Bette believed in the power of giving. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to: Central Trinity United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, Muskingum County Community Foundation/Maysville Education Passthrough Fund, or Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland.

There will be calling hours on Wednesday the 28th at the BOLIN-DIERKES FUNERAL HOME, 1271 BLUE AVE, ZANESVILLE, OHIO from 6-8PM. Services will be held on Thursday the 29th at 11 AM, with a preceding calling hour at 10, Pastor John Alice will officiate the service. Burial will take place at Greenwood Cemetery and will be private.

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