Sue Dyke

Betty Sue Arnold Dyke passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, October 1, 2021 at 12:30am.

She was born November 14, 1943 in Wichita, KS to John Wilson (J.W.) Arnold and Delta Louise Julien Arnold. She was raised in Wichita, where her father worked for Boeing Aircraft Co. and she graduated from Southeast High School in 1961. She and her sister Jane grew up helping her parents in many ventures - raising chinchillas, tending rental properties, and planting Christmas trees. They lived briefly in Estes Park while their parents owned a cabin court.

Sue attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS where her maternal grandmother and aunt resided near campus. She was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and Theta Sigma Phi national journalism fraternity, as well as the campus judicial board. She graduated in 1965 with a combined B.S. degree in Home Economics & Journalism.

She worked as assistant editor at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City until her marriage on July 17, 1966 to Terry Dyke in Shawnee Mission, KS. They moved to Ft. Bliss at El Paso where he began a three-year Army career in artillery and fixed wing aviation, including a year in Vietnam. She edited university publications at Friends University in Wichita while Terry was deployed. She edited hospital publications at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City until the birth of their first son, David, in 1973. She gave birth to their second son, Andrew in Scottsbluff, NE in 1976. She always enjoyed church and community projects.

During Terry's 30-year aviation career with Trans World Airlines, Sue served on the PTA and was on the school board at North Rock Creek Elementary in Shawnee. She then trained as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer for children in foster care in Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties. She was named the Oklahoma CASA volunteer of the year in 1995 and was honored by Epsilon Sigma Alpha and Shawnee Zeta Gamma in 1996 with the Diana award. In 2008 she was honored by the District V Child Abuse Prevention Task Force for her dedication and service to child abuse prevention. She helped nearly 60 children gain permanent families and homes.

She was employed in Shawnee by the Youth & Family Resource Center as a Children's Home-Based counselor and was interim CASA coordinator for a brief period. She also worked at the America National Bank. She served on many committees at Wesley United Methodist Church and was Treasurer of the women's group there for 8 years, while teaching Vacation Bible School and coordinating church remodeling as a Trustee.

Beloved family and friends include her loving husband Terry of 55 years; two sons and daughter-in-law, David & Dawn Dyke of Jenks, OK and Andrew Dyke of Shawnee; grandchildren, Abigail Dyke of Dallas, TX and Jacob Dyke of Norman, OK; sister, Jane Jurik of New Orleans, LA; sister and brother-in-law, Ellie and Roger Burns of Oklahoma City; sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Carol Michaels of North Platte, NE; sister and brother-in-law, Libby and Bob Randall of Manhattan, KS; along with numerous nieces and nephews; and close friends and neighbors, Jenae and Lewis Baughman and the many young adults Sue met as children while a CASA volunteer.

A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church, 302 E. Independence, Shawnee, OK on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 10:00 am. The services will be available online at www.wesleyumcshawnee.org/live/. Sue's urn will be placed in the Dyke niche in the St. Luke's Columbarium at the St. Luke's United Methodist Church downtown campus.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the CASA Program of Youth & Family Resource Center, Inc., 326 W 11th, Shawnee, OK 74801.