Betty Burke French
March 15, 1923 — April 2, 2013
Betty Burke French
Betty Burke French of Eureka, died Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at the Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, at the age of 90.
She was born on March 15, 1923 in Fall River Township, Greenwood County, Kansas to James and Ethel (Durham) Burke. She grew up on the family farm east of Climax near the Ladd Bridge on Fall River and attended local schools at Hillside & Climax, graduating from Climax High School in the Class of 1941.
On June 14, 1941, she married William Dean French, her high school sweetheart, in Wichita, Kansas where they made their first home. In 1942, Dean joined the Army and during World War II, Betty traveled with him to several stateside duty assignments. After the war, they returned to Greenwood County where Betty had many jobs – wife, homemaker and mother. Outside the home, she held civil service positions with the Selective Service System and the Department of Agriculture in several Southeast Kansas locations.
Over the years, she was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, the Parent-Teachers Association and the Jefferson Street Baptist Church in Eureka. Retiring in 1993, she and Dean returned home to Fall River Township in Greenwood County.
Betty is survived by her husband of 71 years, Dean; sons, Dan & Larry of Eureka; sisters, Lois French of Eureka; and Kay Christensen of Grand Junction, Colorado; brother, James and wife, Kathryn Burke of Ridgway, Colorado; five grandchildren, Kimberly French of Eureka, Bryan French of Prairie Village, Andrea Kern & husband Justin of El Dorado, Justin French & Jacob French of San Antonio, Texas; and two great-grandchildren, Zekiah & Zavien Kern. She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Marjorie, Margaret, and Billie.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, April 6, 2013 at Koup Family Funeral Home, Eureka with Pastor Alan Hunter of the First Baptist Church of Howard officiating. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation hours are 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Friday, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Greenwood County Hospital or to Greenwood County Home Health. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.
Betty Burke French of Eureka, died Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at the Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, at the age of 90.
She was born on March 15, 1923 in Fall River Township, Greenwood County, Kansas to James and Ethel (Durham) Burke. She grew up on the family farm east of Climax near the Ladd Bridge on Fall River and attended local schools at Hillside & Climax, graduating from Climax High School in the Class of 1941.
On June 14, 1941, she married William Dean French, her high school sweetheart, in Wichita, Kansas where they made their first home. In 1942, Dean joined the Army and during World War II, Betty traveled with him to several stateside duty assignments. After the war, they returned to Greenwood County where Betty had many jobs – wife, homemaker and mother. Outside the home, she held civil service positions with the Selective Service System and the Department of Agriculture in several Southeast Kansas locations.
Over the years, she was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, the Parent-Teachers Association and the Jefferson Street Baptist Church in Eureka. Retiring in 1993, she and Dean returned home to Fall River Township in Greenwood County.
Betty is survived by her husband of 71 years, Dean; sons, Dan & Larry of Eureka; sisters, Lois French of Eureka; and Kay Christensen of Grand Junction, Colorado; brother, James and wife, Kathryn Burke of Ridgway, Colorado; five grandchildren, Kimberly French of Eureka, Bryan French of Prairie Village, Andrea Kern & husband Justin of El Dorado, Justin French & Jacob French of San Antonio, Texas; and two great-grandchildren, Zekiah & Zavien Kern. She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Marjorie, Margaret, and Billie.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, April 6, 2013 at Koup Family Funeral Home, Eureka with Pastor Alan Hunter of the First Baptist Church of Howard officiating. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation hours are 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Friday, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Greenwood County Hospital or to Greenwood County Home Health. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Betty Burke French, please visit our flower store.