Betty Jean (Unruh) Friesen
July 29 1937 – January 28 2021
Always cheerful, always smiling and
filled with laughter, Betty left us early morning on January 28.
She was buried next to the love of her
life and husband, Karl, at Greenwood Cemetery on January 30 in a
private ceremony attended by family and friends, and with the
participation of family in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and
Denver, Colorado; Shawnee and Lawrence, Kansas; Baltimore, Maryland
and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania via FaceTime and Zoom.
Betty was born at Axtell Christian
Hospital in Newton, Kansas. She was the daughter of John Unruh, a
blacksmith; and Sophia Frerking Unruh, a homemaker and quilter; and
the younger sister of Natalie Unruh Hill. She attended McKinley
Elementary School, Santa Fe Middle School, and Newton High School.
For many years she was a member of First Mennonite Church along with
her husband, parents, and children.
A conscientious objector during the
Korean Conflict, her husband Karl served in Selective Service at a
hospital in Evanston, Illinois. While there Betty learned bookkeeping
working for an accounting firm. These skills served her throughout
her career at Montgomery Ward's, Holstine Motors, Doctor's Park,
Presbyterian Manor, Newton Medical Supply, and Newton Medical Center.
She served on the Kansas Blue Cross Blue Shield board, the Warkentin
House board, and the Newton Convention and Visitors Center Bureau.
Betty was an avid and accomplished
fabric artist producing many hand-hooked rugs in the primitive style.
She provided demonstrations at area craft shows, taught lessons, and
mounted a retrospective exhibit at the Carriage Factory Art Gallery
in Newton. Her work was featured in trade publications.
For many years Betty and Karl ran the
Old Parsonage Bed & Breakfast, hosting and entertaining
interesting guests including the President of Stanford University,
musicians from Mannheim Steamroller and the grandson of Mahatma
Gandhi among many others. The Old Parsonage was decorated with
antiques and collectibles acquired over many years of enjoying
antiquing and collecting as a hobby.
Betty loved Christmas, and enjoyed
listening to Christmas music year-round. Throughout her life her
heart remained filled with the sense of awe and wonder of Christmas
time, and the sense of seasonal joy and delight was always with her.
Betty's parents, husband Karl, and son
Michael passed before her. Her family will hold dear her memory, and
cherish the love and laughter she shared with them: son Gregory
(Genevieve), and grandchildren Gabrielle and Galen in Colorado
Springs; grandchildren of son Michael (deceased) Brooke, Anna and
Andrew in Denver; son Russell (Andrea), and grandchildren Noah,
Hannah, Sophie and Sam in Shawnee; son Darrin (Linda), and
grandchildren Grant, John Karl, Elise and Gretchen in St. Louis;
sister Natalie in Wichita; five nephews (John and Jerry Hill, Kevin
and Bradley Friesen, Nathan Voth), three nieces (Julie Hill Songer,
Stacey Voth Schwartz and Jennifer Voth Roland), and four great
grandchildren. She will be missed by Karl's brother Ron (Jeanette)in
Loveland and sister Luanna (Karl) Voth in Newton.
The family extends their heartfelt
gratitude and appreciation for the love and care provided to Betty by
her friends and neighbors, and wonderful people at Newton Home
Health. They are especially grateful that throughout her residence at
Asbury Park, including during COVID, the many dedicated and loving
caregivers were at her side.
"Deep peace of the Son of Peace to
you."
