Betty Lucille Deering Franz left this world at the age of ninety-six to join her heavenly family on the morning of Thursday, January 26th, while surrounded by her children.
Betty was born in Homestead, Kansas on her family’s farm outside of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas on October 23rd, 1926. She is predeceased by her mother, Margaret “Grace” Clara Deering and her father, Arthur “Pete” LaVern Deering (Larned, KS), her sisters, Arlene Mann Yeager (Larned, KS) and Lilian Irene Deering Thorne (Garden City, KS), and her brother, Alfred “Shorty” Charles Deering (Wichita, KS).
Betty is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Julene Franz Reed and Ron Reed (Memphis, TN); son and daughter-in-law, Mark LaVern Franz and Alla Chavdarova and her daughter, Sasha (Austin, TX); and daughter and son-in-law, Lori Jean Franz and John Coll (Georgetown, TX).
She is also survived by her two granddaughters and their husbands, Angela Lynné Reed Tull and Benjamin Tull (Memphis, Tennessee) and Amanda Nicole Reed Ferguson and Marvin Ferguson (Chicago, IL). “Little Granny” was also dearly loved by her four great-grandchildren—Bailey Grace Ferguson (Chicago, IL), Riley Grace Tull (Memphis, TN), Reed Marvin Ferguson (Chicago, IL), and Amelia Catherine Tull (Memphis, TN). According to the great-grandchildren, no one made homemade noodles, caramels, and pies as well as Little Granny, no matter how hard they tried.
Betty was an amazing aunt to her nieces and nephews, Janice Mann Bogle (and husband Ron), Shela Mann Shank, Bob Thorne (and wife Vera), and Bill Thorne. She was a second “mother” to them as well as their aunt, and their mutual love for each other was a gift to all. She took great joy and pride in all they did.
Betty grew up in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, where her father, “Grandpa Pete” to us, was the Chase County sheriff. They lived in the courthouse, and she graduated from high school in Cottonwood Falls. She later moved to Larned, Kansas and married Virgil Ralph Franz, where she was a bank teller at the First National Bank. They raised their three children in Larned until the early 1960s. They then lived in Wichita, Kansas, Lake Quivira, Kansas (Kansas City), New Orleans, Louisiana, and Dallas, Texas. When Betty and Virgil divorced in the late 1970s, she moved to Memphis, TN, where she remained the rest of her life. Betty was Vice-President of Germantown Trust Savings and Loan in Germantown, TN for many years until her retirement when they closed.
Throughout her life, Betty was an avid golfer and duplicate bridge player. She also enjoyed traveling to Texas and the Florida beach, embarking on cruises, going dancing with her dearest friends, reading romance novels, and playing dominoes and card games.
Betty’s greatest joy was watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren grow up, and she loved each of them dearly, as they loved her. She was a classy lady who loved dressing “foxy,” even in her nineties. When she was not visiting with family in person, she would talk to her children twice a day on video with her beloved “Alexa” device. It was our lifeline to her…and hers to us. Until just two weeks prior to her death, Betty was busy feeding her birds in her backyard, talking to her children on video, helping Julene decorate her front door with winter decor, and enjoying her life. We are all so blessed to have had her love throughout our lives.
Betty loved watching sports—especially the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as the Dallas Cowboys, Memphis Grizzlies, University of Memphis Tigers football and basketball, and professional golf tournaments. She would spend her weekends watching sports and loving every minute of it, dressing up for her favorite teams.
Betty (our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother) had a great sense of humor and loved to tell jokes. She was a friend to everyone she met, and she was always looking out for others, helping however she could.
God has gained an amazing angel in the heavens above. We were all blessed to have had the best mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother anyone could ever have. While our hearts are broken in a million pieces and we miss her so deeply, we are comforted to know that she is now at peace and again with her beloved family in heaven.
We love you more, “Momma,” forever and ever. You are and will always be in our hearts and souls forever, and I know we are in yours. We will miss you every minute of every day until we meet again. Rest in peace, sweet mother.
A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, February 1st, at the Larned United Methodist Church in Larned, Kansas. Family visitation will begin at 10:15 a.m. followed by a service in the sanctuary at 11:00 a.m. A brief graveside ceremony will follow at the Larned Cemetery where she will be laid to rest with other members of her beloved family.
The family requests that any donations be given to either St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the American Cancer Society, both in care of Beckwith Mortuary, Inc. P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com