Betty Louise (O'Brien) Edwards

Betty Louise Edwards, age 96 of Wellsville, Kansas passed away Friday, October 13, 2023 at the Wellsville Retirement Community. A family graveside service will be 11AM, Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Chanute, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church in care of Wilson’s, PO Box 486, Wellsville, Kansas.

Betty Louise Edwards was born January 5, 1927, in Chanute, Kansas the daughter of Clarence Lee and Mabel (Fink) O’Brien. She grew up living in both Chanute, Kansas and Mammoth Spring, Arkansas.

Betty received her high school diploma from Chanute High School in 1945 and in November of that same year, she married Llyod Dale Edwards of Chanute who served in the Navy and worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. They made their home in Chanute, Kansas and gave birth to three children, Barbara, Richard and Steven. Later residences included Overland Park, Topeka, and then back to Chanute during their retirement years.

Betty was a homemaker while her children were attending school and then worked in retail during her residency in Topeka, Kansas. For a short time during her retirement she helped her best friend Jackie run her liquor store in Chanute, Kansas.

Betty lived a long and healthy life experiencing eleven decades from the Great Depression to the high tech world. Imagine riding in a Packard as a teenager and then using a cell phone as an adult. Prior to moving to Wellsville to be closer to her family she enjoyed spending time with her friends traveling and bowling. Betty was a devoted member of the United Methodist Church both in Chanute and Wellsville, an American Legion Auxiliary member and a member of the Crescent Club in Wellsville. She enjoyed playing Bridge, a card game, on Wednesdays at the Community Center, and calling Bingo for the residents at the Wellsville Retirement Community. She took several trips with family which included traveling to London, Bahamas, Mexico, Branson, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina, a road trip to the West Coast, and frequent trips to Oklahoma where her daughter and son-in-law have a lake home. Betty was sharp, witty and enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, canning and was an avid reader. Her love of sewing led to a large collection of dolls in which she would make outfits for them. Everyone knew not to disturb her during KU basketball and Royals games as these were her favorite teams to watch. Popcorn, nuts, or ice cream were her usual game time snacks. She was a pet lover as well and cherished her cats and dogs over the years, not to mention, she was also fond of bird watching. She deeply loved her most recent dog, Lucky, who was her companion for approximately 15 years and passed away this same year.

Surviving family members include her daughter, Barbara Harris of Wellsville and son-in-law Larry Harris of Wellsville; son, Steven Edwards of Wellsville; grandchildren and great-grandchild, Heather (Harris), Josh and Maverick Adams of Wellsville; grandchildren and great-grandchild Scott, Jenny and Lydia of Wellsville; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Sarah (Harris), Jake, Soffia and Mykel Love of Wellsville; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Rebecca (Harris), Garry, Chloe, Lillie and Emma Goodloe of Ottawa; grandchildren and great-grandsons Morgan (Edwards) and Gary Whalen of North Carolina; grandchildren and great-grandson Steven A. and Shalane (Flanagan) Edwards of Portland, Oregon; grandchildren and great-grandsons Troy and Tia Edwards of Bartlesville, OK; grandchildren and great-granddaughters Travis Edwards of Enid, OK and several nieces and cousins.

Preceding family members include her parents Clarence and Mabel (Fink) O’Brien; brother G.W. O’Brien; sister and brother-in-law Virgina (O’Brien) and Pete Disney; husband Llyod Dale Edwards; son Richard Edwards; and great-grandson Zebediah Harris.

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