Robert Bettes Obituary, OCEANSIDE, N.Y. — Robert Bettes, former Chief of the Oceanside Fire Department and former Chairman of the Second Battalion Fire District, has died, according to an announcement from the Oceanside Fire Department.
Chief Bettes was a longtime member of Terrace Hose and Chemical Company #3, joining the company in 1972. During more than five decades of service, he became deeply involved in the work of both his company and the broader fire department, serving on multiple committees at the company and department levels.
His leadership career advanced through several ranks. He was elected 2nd Lieutenant in 1975, 1st Lieutenant in 1976 and Captain in 1977. In 1997, he attained the rank of 3rd Assistant Chief before becoming Chief of Department in 2000.
Chief Bettes later returned to the position of Chief in 2004. That service carried special significance for him and the department, as he served the term in honor of his late brother, Thomas Bettes Sr., who died while serving as First Assistant Chief.
The Oceanside Fire Department expressed its condolences to Chief Bettes’ wife, Sandy, his children, Pamela and Nicole, who was also a former member of Terrace, and the rest of his family. His decades of commitment to the fire service remain an important part of his legacy within the department and the Oceanside community.
The department remembered Chief Bettes with the words that he had answered his final alarm, adding a tribute to their fallen brother and promising to continue the work he dedicated much of his life to. His passing marks the loss of a longtime firefighter and leader whose service spanned more than 50 years.
Visitation is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8, from 7 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday, September 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Towers Funeral Home, Inc., 2681 Long Beach Road, Oceanside, New York.
A prayer service will be held Thursday, September 10, at 10 a.m. at Towers Funeral Home, followed by interment at 11:30 a.m. at Greenfield Cemetery, 650 Nassau Road, Uniondale. The Oceanside Fire Department’s thoughts and prayers remain with the Bettes family, friends, fellow firefighters and all who knew and served alongside Chief Robert Bettes.
