Betty L. Wahaus

BETTY L. WAHAUS Betty L. Wahaus was born on December 28, 1933 in Boone County, AR to Elijah and Amy (Murphy) Fagan. She was the first of four daughters. Betty’s early childhood was filled with the simple pleasures of living in the country-- listening to the rain on a tin roof and hoot owls and whippoorwills, drinking crystal-clear water from a spring below their two-room cabin, playing with her dog “Tuffy”, getting chocolate pop on their weekly trips into town, sleeping deep in a feather mattress at her grandparents. Her family moved to the Armordale area in Kansas City in 1941. While there, her father was drafted into the army in WWII. Betty attended Central Junior High, and then Turner High School. She graduated in 1952 along with her High School sweetheart, LeRoy Wahaus. They married in 1955, and moved to the Morris area. In the next 2 years their daughter, Leslie, and son, Kevin, were born. The family moved to Lawrence in 1958 and were blessed with the birth of another son, Eric. During this time she busied herself with children, home, extended family, church, and community work. Their next move took them to Shawnee in 1967 and a few years later, another daughter, Erin, was born. Betty and Roy were very involved with all of their children’s activities—school, church, and sports. They rarely, if ever, missed the boys’ baseball games or Erin’s volleyball, basketball, and many softball games. The family continued to grow as Leslie married Johnny Phifer and Kevin married Darlene Hatch. Three sons were born to Johnny and Leslie. Kevin and Darlene had a son and twin daughters, and Eric had a daughter. In 1998, Betty and Roy built a house on her parents’ farm in Basehor. Three granddaughters-in-law and five great-grandsons continued to add to the family. Although home-making was her primary role, Betty also worked as a Realtor, a floral designer, a typist, and a church secretary. She was very artistic and loved music of all genres. Her home and yard were filled with beautiful flowers. She also did extensive research into her family’s genealogy. Betty traveled with her family throughout the country and then Europe and Australia. Camping trips were especially memorable and fun for her. Betty’s church always benefited from her singing in the choir, her leading and teaching in the Sunday School department, and her smiles and hugs as she greeted those who walked through the doors. Betty will be missed by all who knew her. In addition to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she leaves her sisters, Sarah Hite, Joyce Weddle, and Kathy Bates, nieces and nephews, family and friends too numerous to mention. She passed from this life to join her loved ones on Sunday, June 9, 2013 at Sweet Life of Shawnee. Memorials may be made to the Kansas City Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Foundation and New Life Family Church, Kansas City, KS.

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Betty L. Wahaus

December 28, 1933 - June 9, 2013