Funeral services for Bobbie Dolores Gotiear (Matriarch and Queen)  will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, September 8, 2023 at Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The family will greet friends from 7:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, September 7, 2023 at the funeral Home.

The service may be viewed by following the livestream link on Bethlehem's Facebook Page, search for:
Bethlehem Baptist Church Lawton, OK.
Anyone searching will see our circular logo in black with the Cross, World, Bible and Motto "House Of Bread"

Bobbie Dolores Gotiear age 93, of Lawton, passed away Monday, August 28, 2023 at her home. She was born October 23, 1929, in Webster Groves, Missouri to Oleander Benbow and Rufus Harris. She married Stanley Odelbert Gotiear Artillery Specialist of the United States Army. They brought two daughters, Juanita and Mariannette into this world. The couple spent years apart then reunited with the addition of two more children Synethia and Rene' David whom Bobbie Dolores graciously accepted as her own, loved, and nurtured to adulthood.

Bobbie Dolores worked two jobs as a surgical technician and a post-surgical aide. She later was invited to help open and she coordinated an eye clinic for a team of ophthalmologists. She later started her Social Service career for the State of Missouri. She never allowed challenges to stop her from accomplishing her goal, whether it was caring for her children or overcoming illness, hardship, pain, and loss in her life.

She embraced a Program of healing and started her recovery process. She was a shining light in the 12-step Recovery communities in St. Louis and Lawton. She mentored many people, especially recovering women. She was passionate about giving hope to the newcomers, always telling them "Don't leave before your miracle," She had been sober 42 years and 11 days when she transitioned into her biggest miracle of all, "the arms of her Jesus!" She loved to travel, shop and was an active artist until her last days.

She was deemed and declared a Living Legend on September 3, 2016, by the City of Saint Louis Board of Aldermen, when she received the Seal of the city. She was a graduate of Washington University, She also became a certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II. She was one of the first Gambling Counselors. She participated in establishing many new recovery programs in the states of Missouri and Oklahoma. She was officially named "The Slugger" at Wackenhut Prison where she was hostage negotiator and counselor. She served many in our community with empathy, compassion, understanding, wisdom acceptance, and competence. She not only served the individual in achieving recovery. She assured that masses of our community would be ensured continued services by volunteering to serve on multiple boards in the Lawton/Fort Sill Lawton/Fort Sill Community.

She embraced the church for more than a decade at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis for more than a decade. She relocated to Lawton, Oklahoma, and became a significant member of the community. She has been a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church for more than twenty years and she has served in various capacities including counseling, choir, and trustee board, and was an esteemed and honored "Mother" of the Church.

Bobbie Dolores was the Matriarch of the Benbow family and she leaves to jubilantly celebrate her life, her daughter Juanita Grooms and her Husband Kenneth Grooms, Lawton, Oklahoma; her daughter Synethia Kinsman and her Husband Charles Sutphin, Tooele, Utah; her son Rene' David and wife Rachel Gotiear, Lawton, Oklahoma. Bobbie Dolores is preceded in death by her husband Stanley and her daughter Mariannette. She leaves also to honor her life; her eldest Grandson Keven Edward Guynn and four other grandchildren, 9 Great grandchildren and 4 Great Great Grandchildren. She was the "First Cousin" for which she took profound pride. Her cousins live in California, Detroit, Iowa, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Georgia, Illinois, and St. Louis.