With deep love, the family of Betty Diggans shares the news of her passing on December 1, 2025, at the age of 97.

Born in Sabina, Ohio, to Gladys and Earl Kline, Betty grew up on her family's farm before setting out for new experiences. At the young age of eighteen, she arrived in Delray Beach where she began a new chapter, working at the Colony Hotel, and later as a waitress at well-known, Lucille and Otley's. She quickly formed lasting friendships and was remembered as a beauty—warm and generous, known for her radiant smile. She and dear friend Puddy Ellingsworth eventually ran one of Delray's most popular restaurants, "The Place," at the Talbot House on A1A, and together catered many of the town's most memorable gatherings.

Betty met the love of her life, Roy Diggans, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. They married in 1948 and raised three children together. Betty fully embraced the Diggans family tradition of community service and took great pride in her family's deep roots in Delray Beach, dating back to the 1920s. Her faith guided her steadily throughout her life. For more than 75 years, Betty was active at St. Paul's Episcopal Church—serving on the vestry, singing in the choir, cooking bountiful meals in the church kitchen, hosting events, contributing to bazaars, and helping publish church cookbooks and historical church family biographies. Her commitment extended throughout Delray Beach: she volunteered with the Chamber of Commerce, the Delray Affair, the Community Chest, the Atlantic Avenue Merchants Association, and the Delray Beach Historical Society. She also served as president of her condominium association and was on the board of the Beach Property Homeowners Association.

Betty later earned her real estate license and joined Gringle, Doherty & Wheat, then Delray Beach's oldest firm. She retired at age 88 when her macular degeneration progressed, but her many clients became friends and continued to remember her as gracious, thoughtful, loyal and truly kind.

A lifelong lover of books, Betty found refuge and inspiration in reading from a young age. Even in her final years, she listened to a book a week—favoring biographies, philosophy, history, art, and compelling novels. She loved to talk about and share her favorite selections. She was an oil painter, avid gardener, and wonderful cook and baker. She studied photography, mastered crossword puzzles, and delighted in travel. Through visits with her children, she explored the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, the coastal towns of Maine, sailing the Chesapeake Bay, hiking the mountains in east Tennessee, Northern California and Colorado, and the vibrant culture of New York and New Orleans. She traveled Europe with Roy and again later with friends. In her later years, she loved pouring over her photo albums with a magnifying glass, joyfully recounting the stories behind each image. Music was important to her as her eyesight declined. She loved Chopin, Beethoven, choral music, the songs of the 1940s and classic rock.

Betty was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Roy Charles Diggans (1927–2001). She is survived by her children—Kathleen Fields (John Asbury Fields), Charles Emory Diggans (Lauren Pratt Diggans), and Winifred Diggans Edwards; her grandchildren Susan, John William, James Charles (Van), John Bradley (Jennifer), and Christopher Tyler (Elizabeth); and her great-grandchildren Atticus, Declan, June and Benjamin.

Betty was devoted to her family above all else. Her greatest joy was watching the stories and lives of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family unfold. Through visits, videos, letters, artwork and phone calls, she remained a steady source of wisdom, encouragement and love, until the end.

Betty cherished a good conversation. She was faithfully attentive to the needs of those she cared about. She lived her life with curiosity and an open heart. Her life embodied her simple philosophy: "Never give up." Her legacy of kindness, generosity, and resilience will continue to inspire her family and the Delray Beach community she cherished.

Please join the family for a celebration of her life on January 31, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Delray Beach (188 South Swinton Avenue), followed by a reception in the historic Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Betty's memory to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Delray Beach and The Delray Beach Historical Society .