Master Sergeant Robert "Bob" Bethany

1932 - 2025

Tupelo-Robert Curtis Bethany, 90, departed peacefully into the arms of Jesus, Thursday, Nov. 13th at his home in Tupelo after a year's long journey toward Heaven. He was known as "Bob" to his beloved wife of 38 years, Marcelle C. Bethany, and "RC" to his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. Bob was born October 10, 1935 to his parents, Louis Alexander and C'Belle Bethany in the community of McDonald in Neshoba County, MS. He is a gentle, loving, deeply family oriented man and enjoyed being out in nature while camping, fishing and hunting. He was a "good man", which epitomizes the teaching of his Lord and Savior. He has been a member of South Green Baptist Church since 1995 when he retired from the U.S. Army as a Master Sergeant. He served in the MS Army National Guard, AGR within the U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Army with a total of 39 years of service. In his lifetime, he also was active in the Masonic Lodge 318, Tupelo and other Lodges. He held many positions thus ending his tenure there as a 32nd degree Mason serving a total of 42 years until his health began to decline. He was also active in the Lee County Shrine Club, serving in the highest position as Potentate. He and his wife for years transported handicapped children to The Shriner's Children's Hospital in Shreveport, LA and to the Burn Center in Galveston, TX. Among other organizations were his membership in the Scottish Rite (Corinth Valley-Orient of MS, Corinth, MS) and the Jaycees. A Celebration of Life service, with military honors, will take place at 2 PM Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo with his pastor, Bro. Guyton Hinds officiating. Private burial will be in Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will begin Sunday at Noon and continue until service time. For those unable to attend, the service will be live-streamed at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/live-streaming at 2 PM, and will be archived thereafter. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind a sister, Bonnie Robinett and 4 children Robert C. Bethany, JR (Annette), Rodger A. Bethany (Alisha), Cynthia L. Bethany and Deborah K. Christy (Mike), Bobby Delane Easley, his son by marriage (Stephanie), 16 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Maureen Porter, brother Louis Bethany, JR, his son by marriage Fred (Andy) Anderson, daughter by marriage, Tammy Anderson and the beloved mother of his children, Jeanette Haddad Bethany. His pallbearers will be his grandsons: Robert Bethany, III, Dylan Bethany, Colton Bethany, David Brandenburg, Dillon Anderson and his great grandson, Ethan Ray. Honorary pallbearers will be Hollis Lindley, Daniel McCullough, Bro. Jim Martin, Bro. James Coker, and Bro. Matt Hudson. The family wants to thank all the wonderful nurses, aides from Gentevia Hospice for their excellent care and to Sobeyra Gillard for her daily care of Bob. He fell in love with her cheerful contenance and her skilled hospice care. Instead of flowers, please help support Shriner Children's Hospital, 3100 Samford Avenue, Shereveport. LA. ,St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Drive, Memphis, TN 38105 or Tupelo-Lee Humane Society P. O. Box 2143, Tupelo, MS. 38803. Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo is honored to be serving their friends and saluting Sgt. Major Bethany's service to our country.