Bette Ruth Norris

Bette Ruth (McKown) Norris was born on August 2, 1927 to Albert and Julia (Martin) McKown in Bigelow, Missouri. She grew up there on the McKown homestead farm with one older brother, Don. She developed a love for flower gardening early on that never abated. She loved the verse that her mother kept above the entrance to her flower garden:
"If you'd have a mind at peace and a heart that cannot harden,
go find a gate that opens wide upon a little garden."
Bette graduated from Fortescue High School in 1945 and went on to earn a teacher's certificate from Tarkio Teachers College. She worked in the Chase Company candy factory, a time highlighted by winning a contest to be named "The Chase Company Candy Queen." The title came with a ride on a parade float and a trip to the big city of Chicago to compete for the regional title.

After the War, she met (John) Allen Norris who had served on a destroyer in the Navy, at her best friend, Marrietta Boyd's wedding to Allen's brother, Bob. Allen and Bette married on August 19, 1951. During their nearly 60 years of marriage, they raised four children, Cathy, Dale, Janet, and Lee moving between farms in northwest Missouri, then as Allen went to work in banking, in Axtell and Lincoln, NE, before finally settling in Kenesaw, Nebraska where they lived for over 40 years. Bette taught in country schools near Mound City, MO and Forbes, MO and later worked in the local insurance office in Kenesaw. After retirement, Bette and Allen loved to travel in their camper to points south near the Texas hill country. They also often enjoyed taking in the annual Bing Crosby Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach, and later wintering on the beaches and golf courses of Gulf Shores, AL. Throughout those travels, Bette loved to collect large pine cones and shells for craft projects which gave her something to do while Allen was hunting for golf balls!

Along the way, Bette picked up and cultivated quite a number of interests including a Kenesaw bowling league, playing and watching golf and tennis, playing the piano and organ (sometimes at church) and boardgames (at which she was surprisingly competitive!), watching Nebraska volleyball and ice skating, and working puzzles of all kinds (words, numbers and jigsaws). She maintained her love of flower gardens, often winning ribbons in county fairs for her arrangements. Late in life, an art class at her residence also rekindled an interest in drawing, a "hidden talent" that surprised and impressed many in her own family.

Bette's "fifteen minutes of fame" came from being a charter member of the original Betty Club. The club, which started something of a national fad, was featured on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt, and she appeared several times in the feature along with many of her Nebraskan namesakes.

Bette will always be remembered by her 9 grandchildren and dozen great grandkids (and several grandpuppies) as a wonderful and generous grandma, and they delighted her as much as she did them. Christmases with Grandma were magical highlights of many a year, and she will be missed especially during that holiday. She was always so proud of their accomplishments, big and small, and loved to laugh and play with them. Many of her times with great grandchildren were filled with music, like the time several of them played an improvised concert for her outside of her window during COVID and playing and singing for her in her room. She also loved it when the puppies came to visit and she got to "show them off" to fellow residents.

Many events in Bette's life were marked by historic floods (contrary to popular belief, not THE FLOOD, but big floods, nonetheless). There was major flooding on the Missouri River the year she was married to Allen (1951- actually displacing their wedding to a church that they didn't attend and the reception to a venue that they didn't plan), the year her first child, Cathy, was born (1952), the year she moved to Kenesaw and the year that Allen passed away (2011). This seems fitting because her life was largely marked by floods of love and laughter for those around her.

Bette Ruth Norris passed away on May 9, 2024, at the age of 96 in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was born on August 2, 1927, in Bigelow, Missouri. Bette is survived by her children Cathy Norris, Dale Norris, and Janet Barber, and her son-in-laws Richard Barber and Jeff Thieszen. She was a loving grandmother to Seth Christian (Dixie), Peter Barber (Melissa), Nonna Mikat (Isaac), Libby Barber Squires (Nate), Jacob Barber (Tessa), Kasey Norris, Riley Norris (Madeline), Emily Barber Bede (Stephen), and Megan Barber Marra (Nathan). She was also delighted by 12 great grandchildren.

Bette was preceded in death by her husband (John) Allen Norris, her parents Albert and Julia (Martin) McKown, and her daughter Lee Ann Thieszen.

A Celebration of Life for Bette will be held later this summer. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Holt County, Missouri Historical Society, PO Box 55, Mound City, MO 64470.

May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her.