BUCKLES, Betty J. 1922-2010
BUCKLES, FOX, WILLHITE, DUNHAM, LEEMAN
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 2/18/2011 at 23:50:39
[Waterloo Courier, Sunday, September 5, 2010]
Betty Jane Buckles, 87, died Sept. 2 at Windhaven of Western Home Communities. She was born Oct. 26, 1922 to Mick and Lora Fox in Jesup, Iowa. She graduated from Jesup High School in 1940 and attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls.
Betty met Eugene Elias "Gene" Buckles of Waterloo while vacationing with her family in Deer River, Minn. The two married on Dec. 12, 1941 in Jesup. Gene served his country in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. He and Betty were stationed in Florida, and during their time there, Betty served her nation as a trained plane spotter.
After the war, the couple returned to Iowa, where they made their home in Waterloo for many years. While Gene operated a franchise of Bowes Seal Fast wholesale supply, Betty devoted her time to serving her family and her community.
She devoted her life to her family, first with husband Gene and daughters Becky and Bonnie, and later to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was happiest when her home was filled with family on Christmas Eve (complete with all the family dogs!). She was active in Westminster Presbyterian Church as a choir member, bell ringer, and elder. She belonged to Quester's, Order of Eastern Star, and the American Legion Auxiliary Post #138. She served the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Covenant Hospital gift shop.
Betty led a rich and vibrant life enjoying travel with family and spending many winters in Belize, Central America with Gene and dear friends Wil and Wilema Alamilla. She was an avid tennis player, bridge player, and nature lover. These interests garnered her many friendships throughout her life. She and husband Gene contributed to countless causes in the Cedar Valley, most notably through the creation of the Gene and Betty Buckles Program Center at Hartman Reserve in Cedar Falls. She will be remembered as a person of service, compassion, kindness, love, and friendship.
Her family wishes to extend gratitude to the Western Home staff and her Hospice team for their compassionate care of Betty during the final years of her life.
Betty is survived by her daughters Becky (Darrel) Willhite of Cedar Falls and Bonnie Dunham of Waterloo and her sister Darlene Leeman of Eldora. Her grandchildren include Lora (Doug) Dillon of Kohler, Wis.; Sara (Steve) Willette of Marion; Darby (Jeff) Kurtz of Waterloo and Dirk (Denise) Dunham of Phoenix. She also leaves behind five "great grand-joys": Sophie, Jack, and Nate Willette, Ethan Dillon, and Sadie Kurtz. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.
Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, at Westminster Presbyterian Church with burial in the Garden of Memories Cemetery. Friends may call at the Kearns, Huisman-Schumacher Chapel on Kimball from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Her body has been cremated.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Westminster Presbyterian Church, Hospice, or Hartman Reserve.
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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