Betty McCALLON

MCCALLON, STAHL, MASON, LONGFELLOW, BIRT, NEW

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/17/2008 at 04:24:01

OBITUARY - BETTY McCALLON

Funeral Services for Betty McCALLON, age 81 of Blockton who died Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at Memorial City Hospital in Houston, Texas were held Monday, January 29, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ritchie Funeral Home in Bedford. Interment was held in the Bethel Cemetery in Diagonal. Memorials can be given in Betty’s name. Memories can be shared with the family on our web site at Ritchie Funeral Home under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.

Betty McCALLON was born November 4, 1925, in Winterset, Iowa. She was the only daughter of Reverend Frank Clare and Bessie (STAHL) McCALLON. Betty passed away on January 24, 2007, at Memorial City Hospital in Houston, Texas at the age of 81 years, 2 months, 20 days.

Betty attended elementary school in Osceola, Iowa. Her father served the Lord as a Christian Church Minister for the congregations of Greenfield, Lenox, and Osceola, requiring several moves with her family. After Betty graduated from high school, she attended Drake University.

After raising her family, Betty attended Southwest Community College in Creston, Iowa and received her Licensed Practical Nurse Degree. She then attended College of St. Mary, graduating as a Registered Nurse in May of 1981, and accomplished her life-long dream of becoming a nurse. She worked at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska caring for paralyzed individuals for ten years. In 1991, Betty moved to Leon, Iowa and worked at the Mount Ayr Nursing Home until retiring from nursing in 2002. She moved to Blockton, Iowa to live on her daughter, Elouise LONGFELLOW’s farm. On the farm she was able to enjoy nature and being close to animals. Betty became a "snowbird" living part of the year in Houston, Texas with her daughter, Sharon Mason. While in Texas she loved to see the bluebonnets bloom, as well as walking to the park to see “her pansies”. Betty enjoyed cooking, reading, spending time with her grandchildren, playing solitaire, watching the Food Network and Gunsmoke. Most importantly, she loved to eat chocolates, and was always willing to share.

Left to cherish Betty’s memory are her two loving daughters, Sharon MASON and husband Mike of Houston, Texas; and Elouise LONGFELLOW and husband Alan of Blockton, Iowa; She was a wonderful grandmother to her five grandchildren and their spouses, Brad and Becky LONGFELLOW; Heather and Ryan BIRT; Dusty and Katy LONGFELLOW; Katie and Drew MASON; Adriane and Alfy NEW. She was blessed to have seven great-grandchildren, Lucas, Brady, Emily, and Ruthie LONGFELL0W, Nolan BIRT, Cody and Jackson NEW.

Preceding Betty in death are her parents, Reverend Frank and Bessie McCALLON; and two half-brothers, H. D. McCALLON and F. D. McCALLON.

Although we grieve, God has given her eternal peace and she is now walking with the angels. Her family always considered her to be an “Angel Among Us”. She had a big heart, kind spirit, and was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Betty was much loved and will always be remembered and missed dearly.