Ryan Kenneth Betton
- 31 years old
- Male
- Born Mar 20, 1976
- Died Aug 17, 2007
- United States
This site is to honor Ryan Kenneth Betton and allow for loved ones to share memories, thoughts, and prayers in a celebration of his life. It is also for Ian Betton to learn more about his father from those who loved him.
More »
About
Memorial
This page can be accessed from www.ryanbetton.com.
In 2004, Ryan said in a dedication to a fallen VAW-115 Navy pilot, Lt. Thomas “Dumpy” Adams:
“I think it’s important to make a memorial, a reminder, because we need it. Dumpy was just a great human being. When the guys who knew Dumpy leave the squadron, all that’s left will be this memorial. The only time that someone truly dies is when that person is gone from people’s minds. With this memorial, Dumpy will continue to live on in the minds of those who see it,” said Betton.
Ryan you will live forever in our hearts and minds.








Year Four
T. J. Slaughter Aug 16, 2011
Happy Birthday Ryan
T. J. Slaughter Mar 20, 2010
Still missing you bro...
Shocker Dec 19, 2009
All the LSO's stayed up on the flight deck for the rest of the night, with spotlights searching the blackness for any signs of you. We talked about it later, and we agreed that we all half-expected you, Cameron and Jerry to come swimming up to the boat yelling at us to get off our asses and pull you out of the water. God, I wish that's how it had happened.
I didn't want to have to be the one to do it, but the next day they wanted a pilot to come down to the hangar bay and try to identify the parts of the plane they had recovered from the water. It was hard enough sifting through the wreckage, but when I found your helmet, I broke down right there in front of everyone. It was one of the worst days of my life.
You were truly one of those people who touched the lives of everyone around you. People may stop writing here some day, but anyone who truly knew you will never stop thinking about you. Until the day we meet again...
"word and peace chicken grease!"
To Ryan's family
Seong Kim Apr 09, 2009
My name is Seong Kim and I was Ryan’s roommate at VMI during his freshman year. While being the only Asian in the room, I was quite uncomfortable in the beginning. Ryan change that in a flash after he saw me wearing a UMich jacket. The friendship grew to a point where I can honestly say that he was a brother to me. Even though I haven’t kept touch with him for a long time, I was always thinking about him. It’s been 12 years since last I’ve seen him, and yet, I can clearly remember every single minute of the time spent with him. He had one of those personality that just beams out at you. When the room gets into an argument, he was the one that mediates. He was the bridge between all the roommates and I think Paul, Brad, and Brian could attest to that.
Hey Ry, sup bro! Remember me? It’s Sung. Man… The last 3 times I’ve seen you or heard about you, I’m crying. The first being when I was leaving VMI, the second from being drunk at your house party, and now this. It’s Thursday, April 09, 2009. It’s embarrassing to even call myself a friend. When I saw your post on facebook, man… I kinda got sick to my stomach and I couldn’t work anymore. You know me, when something’s in my head, I have to get it out. So I just started to write.
Compared to some of the other friends you had, we’ve only known each other for a very short period of time (2years). But in that short period, I found a real friend, I mean a REAL friend! I found me an advisor, and a confidant. Collinsville boy! LOL! I remember how you made Collinsville all big and wonderful… me being from city, I expected a little more than a hangout at Wal-Mart. But going there, it was the most fun 3-day vacation I ever had to this time!
All the memories I have of you… the hell night where I didn’t know what “sound off” was and I yelled and you yelled out “Betton RK, sir!” going to Disney World on the band trip and just being silly at Paradise Island, “Broccoli!”, how BR perez fainted on our way up House Mountain and we had to push his stinking body up the mountain, Brad not meeting the weight requirement to give blood, “Arnold, Flex!” (LT. Townsend, after making a voodoo doll out of wire hanger), LT Gray asking me “give me 3 reasons why you don’t like Nascar?” and one of my answer was “because it’s a waste of gas, sir!”, the noodle court, flag football, paul almost getting killed from the rack falling about 6 inches away from his face, studying bio together (well, you did the studying, I did the computer chatting), my harsh introduction to moonshine and jell-o shots, and you telling me to chill when I was about to kill Ashley Wilmore.
I have nothing but fond memories of you. I love you, bro!
Your Asian brother,
Sung