Betty M. (Perrin) Lee, 79, passed away March 24, 2022, in St. James, Missouri.
She was born May 21, 1942, the daughter of Clarence and Bernice (Edgell) Perrin at the farm home in Allison Township in Decatur County, Kansas. She attended the Allison 3D & S rural school district. Then she attended Jennings Rural High School, graduating with the class of 1960.
Betty was baptized at the Allison Christian Church on June 17, 1951 and attended several Christian churches in Salina, Hays and Pawnee Rock. In 1972, she became a member of the Bergthal Mennonite Church, north of Pawnee Rock. She remained a member there until she moved to Smith Center, where she transferred her membership to the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
She went to Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, for two years and finished her studies at Fort Hays Kansas State, earning her BA in English with a minor in French.
Betty married Donald F. Lee on January 22, 1964. They had two children, Michelle A., born July 23, 1967 and Frank E. born July 23, 1972. They were married 33 years when Donald passed away April 24, 1997.
She began her teaching career at Pawnee Rock High School where she taught English for 3 years. She then went to Larned High School where she taught English and journalism and sponsored the high school newspaper and yearbook. She taught in Larned for 35 years. After retiring, she spent several more years in Pawnee Rock, living there for a total for 40 years and then moved to Smith Center, to be with her son Frank and his family. She moved to Newberg, Missouri in June 2020 to live with her daughter, Michelle.
She and Donald had several foster boys live with them; Steve Crosby, Larry Crosby, William Kloepping, Jaime Chism and Dick Porter.
Betty was preceded in death by an infant sister, her parents, her husband, maternal grandparents and paternal grandmother, and one brother-in-law.
Her survivors include; her daughter, Michelle and companion Rob Walters of Newburg, MO; a son, Frank and wife Jennifer and grandchildren, Andrea, Brendan, and Addisyn of Smith Center, sisters; Carolyn (John) Ronning of Salina and Eula Doggett of Saugerties, NY, a brother, Willard (Tina) Perrin of Oberlin, numerous relatives and friends including special friends, Laura Cormack and Patricia DePriest and their families.
Memorial Graveside service will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 10, 2022, at Pawnee Rock Cemetery, Pawnee Rock, Kansas. Family requests friends to join them for a visitation immediately following the service at The Depot in Pawnee Rock.