Bette Lou Varden

Bette Lou (White) Varden passed into heaven on November 8, 2025, at 6:38 pm, at the Veterans Administration hospital in Lake City, Florida, surrounded by her three sons. How do you begin to explain this amazing person's life?

Born January 3, 1940, to Elsie M. and Alfred J. White in Tupper Lake, N.Y. She graduated from Tupper Lake High School, class of 1957, and is a member of the TLHS Athletic Hall of Fame. She attended nursing school at Le Moyne University in Syracuse, graduating in 1960 as a registered nurse. She received her commission as an Ensign at the US Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and served for several years at various Naval hospitals. After returning to Tupper Lake, she was employed at the Sunmount, Mercy, and Saranac Lake hospitals. She ran the Tupper Lake Food Pantry for many years and was always ready to help anyone in need.

She is survived by three sons, Michael (Dannille) Varden of Severn, Maryland, granddaughters, Megan and Amanda; Keith (Heidi) Varden of Lake City, Florida, grandson, Keith (Robbie) Varden; and Douglas (Jeannie) Varden of Edgewater Park, New Jersey, granddaughters, Alexandria and Samantha. She is also survived by her brother, Neil (Sandee) White of Summerville, S.C. She had many nieces and nephews, as well as great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Robert W Varden, and her brother Glenn White.

Interment will be in the St. Alphonsus Cemetery, Tupper Lake, sometime in the spring, 2026.