Our beloved patriarch and co-founder, Ron Betenbough, went home to the Lord on August 28, 2024. He left a tremendous legacy of love, faith, and generosity; Ron’s fingerprints are all over this company and its people—even those who never met him!
Born in Lubbock, Ron grew up near Tatum, New Mexico on a sheep ranch. At only three years old, he bottle-fed a lamb named Lemon, occasionally taking a few gulps from Lemon’s bottle for himself. He drove a herd of about 100 sheep over nine miles when he was only seven years old! These early experiences foreshadowed his life’s calling to care deeply and faithfully for an extensive flock of people.
In 1964 Ron started building houses, and a passion for real estate was born. Over the years he learned a lot about how (and how not) to run a business. At nearly 50 years old, he developed a deep relationship with Christ. And he acquired a wealth of wisdom along the way.
In 1992 Ron joined his son, Rick, in founding Betenbough Homes with the mission of providing “more home for less money” for families across West Texas. Ron was dedicated to bringing honor to the Lord through his work, always striving to be generous with the resources he was given.
At Ron’s funeral, Marcus Murphy, biblical teacher for Betenbough, shared several traits that Ron Betenbough had in common with King David. Both these mighty men of God were:
- SHEPHERDS OF SHEEP AND PEOPLE
- MUSICIANS
- TRUE AND LOYAL FRIENDS
- COMMITTED TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
- MEN OF PRAYER
- GENEROUS STEWARDS
- MAGNETS FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Just like King David’s legacy has endured the ages, Ron Betenbough’s legacy lives on. It’s in the way we sell homes, it’s in the relational leadership style we embrace, and it’s in the way we give our time, talents, and treasure generously to our communities. When you hear anyone here say, “love is the secret sauce” or “bloom where you’re planted,” they are echoing Ron’s own words.
Few remain in our Betenbough team that were directly shepherded by Ron, but everyone has experienced his leadership here, whether they recognize it or not. His humor, intelligence, and faith are woven like the finest wool into the very fabric of Betenbough Companies.
We read the following words from David, the shepherd king, recorded in Psalm 27:4: “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” And now that’s one more trait that King David and Ron Betenbough share—they are forever gazing upon the glory of the Lord as they dwell with Him.
Ron was a master storyteller. You can listen to him share hilarious and touching tales from his life here. You’ll love listening to Ron tell how he fed the family sheep from the back of a ’41 Chevy sedan, landed his airplane in a West Texas dust storm, and took his family on a vacation with no destination.
