Nancy Elizabeth Betts, of Midland, died the morning of January 2, 2015 after a long illness.Nancy was born in Montgomery, Alabama July 4, 1954 to the late Lt. Col. Russell W. Betts Jr., retired, and Elizabeth Dietz Betts, RN, Major US Army Air Corp. Nancy, a child of a military officer and her family lived overseas and in numerous U.S. cities before settling in Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Lake Highlands High School, Dallas in 1972. She married Carter Muire in 1976 after receiving her B.A. degree in English from Austin College in Sherman, Texas where they met. They lived in Dallas, San Antonio, Seattle, Midland and Edmond, OK before settling in Midland.Nancy was a devoted daughter, loving sister, wonderful wife, and great mom. She worked for Safe Place of the Permian Basin for fifteen years as the Development Director, before retiring in 2014, eight years after her breast cancer diagnosis. Through her work at Safe Place and other charitable organizations in Midland she advanced the causes of the homeless, the poor and the disabled. As a dedicated professional fundraiser, she promoted social justice through the belief that society as a whole benefitted from charitable efforts and sought to reform the conventional approach to charity. On National Philanthropy Day 2014, she was honored as the Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year, awarded by the Permian Basin Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.She was an avid reader on may topics and a lover of animals. She enjoyed travel and collected nativities and teapots. She is survived by her husband, Carter Muire of Midland, and children Elizabeth Muire of San Antonio and Joseph Muire of Midland and his longtime girlfriend Satina Whalen. She is also survived by her siblings: John Betts, (Linda) of Los Angeles; Graham Betts, of Paris, France; and Brenda Betts, of Vernon B.C. Canada.In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family requests donations be made to Safe Place of the Permian Basin, Mission Agape of Midland, Family Promise of Midland and/or The Recording Library of West Texas.Memorial Services will be held at Grace Presbyterian Church, 2801 N. Garfield St. at 2:30 PM on Thursday, January 8, 2015.,
