Rick Betenbough, a co-founder of West Texas-based Betenbough Homes, is being remembered for his faith, philanthropy and wide-ranging impact on the homebuilding industry.
Betenbough died Friday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 59.
Betenbough used his battle with cancer, along with his decades as a West Texas business leader, as opportunities to share with others his faith in God.
Related:Betenboughs among honorees at Lubbock AWC Celebrity Luncheon
David Jordan, president of the West Texas Home Builders Association, shared a statement praising Betenbough’s contributions to Lubbock and West Texas.
“Rick Betenbough was a home building innovator and giant in our community,” Jordan wrote. “His leadership building Betenbough Homes has provided thousands of families with the blessing of a home, but more than that his legacy will be marked by his heart, faith, and service to our community. He was a valued member of WTHBA and we will miss him dearly.”
Betenbough, who was raised in Slaton, founded Betenbough Homes with his father, Ron Betenbough, in 1992.
The Lubbock-based homebuilding company is dedicated to providing affordable, high-quality homes to the marketplace, according to Avalanche-Journal archives and his obituary. The pair built 11 homes that inaugural year, launching a business that continues to serve communities around West Texas, leaving a legacy to this day as it spans multiple cities, 350 employees, and more than 17,000 homes.
Rick served as the CEO since the company’s inception and more recently moved to the role of chairman of the board for Betenbough Companies. Betenbough Homes has expanded over the years, and now has locations in the Amarillo, Midland and Odessa markets as well as Lubbock.
Obituary:Rick Betenbough
Friends and family confirmed Betenbough’s passing on Friday, saying he was surrounded by his loved ones before he “met his Savior face-to-face.”
“We know he was met with a ‘well done, good and faithful servant,'” Betenbough’s family wrote in his obituary.
His family said Rick’s calling in life was to share what God has done in and through his family’s business and to inspire others to surrender their businesses to the Lord.
“Rick never did anything halfway, so in 2016 he started committing nearly all his time to speaking and mentoring other CEOs and business leaders about this idea,” the obituary reads. “His legacy is helping coworkers and friends understand their true identity and encouraging them to stand up in their calling. That pursuit literally leaves a global impact, which the Lord continues to multiply beyond anything imaginable in our natural understanding.”
In 2022, Rick and his wife Holly Betenbough were honored as the recipients of the George Mahon Award at the 37th Annual Celebrity Luncheon sponsored by the Lubbock Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications.
The Mahon award is presented when AWC believes a person has dedicated his or her adult life to a broad array of public service efforts, according to a news release from the organization.
AWC praised the Betenboughs for their philanthropy — donating upwards of 80 percent of their company’s net profits to charity one year — along with their shared message of hope and faith.
Over the years, the couple recalled at the 2022 event, their mission has been not only to provide quality, affordable homes, but to also to help spread the word of Jesus Christ through ministry.
A celebration of life service is set for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, at Southcrest Baptist Church, 3801 S. Loop 289. A reception in the church foyer will follow. Those who would like to join the service live can do so online at https://southcrestlive.tv/.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you send donations to your favorite ministry or continue to connect with Rick’s CaringBridge site, and a list of ministries that Betenbough Companies has partnered with over the years will be posted soon.
