Leon Betts
Leon Betts was born April 19, 1939 in Garden City, Kansas to Corwin and Irene Duncan Betts. He went to meet his Heavenly Father on November 28, 2015.
Leon grew up in northwest Finney County where he farmed from the age of seven until his retirement in 2006.
Leon graduated from Garden City Community College in 1959 and was enrolled to attend Fort Hays State University when his dad had a stroke so Leon withdrew from college and stayed home to run the farm at age 22.
On August 22, 1960 he married Evelyn Rupp, in Garden City, Kansas. Leon and Evelyn had three daughters:
Michelle Cole and husband Jeff of Jetmore
Sherri Suderman and husband Greg of Garden City
Vicki Krehbiel and husband Steven of Holcomb
He has five grandchildren:
Audree Worth (Ben) of Jetmore
Cherlyn Suderman of Garden City
Ryan Suderman of Garden City
Troy Krehbiel (Jenna) of Holcomb
Aleasha Deaver (Kyle) of Garden City
He has 2 great granddaughters Shanaye and Addison Worth, and a third great granddaughter, baby Krehbiel due in January.
He was preceded in death by his parents Corwin and Irene and his sister, Vivian Wall.
Leon was very involved with his children and grandchildren. He missed very few school, 4-H, sports and band activities. He was known as everyone’s “Grandpa.” He always had a smile on his face when he was with his family. Leon and Evelyn’s greatest joy was traveling to 21 states with their grand kids, starting when each kid reached school age. By the time they stopped taking summer trips the grand kids were chauffeuring Grandpa and Grandma around the country.
Leon loved to ‘hot rod” and anything that he could drive fast was his passion. He enjoyed rebuilding motors and machinery and he always made things out of steel, so it would last. He took great pride in fixing up and showing his 1959 Corvette.
Leon made many memories traveling with Evelyn and best friends Larry and Lela, always bringing home a new story to tell.
He enjoyed coffee with the guys and having breakfast for the past 17 years with the same group of friends.
Most of all Leon loved his girls, often jokingly referring to Evelyn, Michelle, Sherri and Vicki as “his harem.” Being a farmer, Leon was often asked if he missed having a son, his response was always, “Why do I need a boy when I get more work out of my three girls than I could out of any man!” He was never a man that wanted a lot of material things, saying you can’t take it with you when you go. “The best thing I can leave behind is a loving family to carry on my memory.” He accomplished that!!
Funeral Services will be held at the United Methodist Church on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. The family will receive friends at Price and Sons Funeral Home from 6-8 P.M. on Tuesday. Memorials may be made to the Leon Betts Memorial Fund.
