Mary Elizabeth Christian

Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Christian, 96, passed away on July 9, 2018. Born December 31, 1921 to James and Hazel Morton, Betty grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where her lifelong love for aquatic sports began. While a student at the University of Manitoba, she was chosen for the 1940 Canadian Olympic diving team. After graduating from the U of M, she earned a masters degree in child development at Iowa State University and served as a teacher in the lab preschool. At ISU she met Robert "Bob" Christian, a chemistry doctoral student. Betty and Bob were married in 1944 and moved to Wichita when Bob was offered a teaching position at WSU. While raising their four children, Betty continued to be actively involved in early childhood education. Along with her dear friend Charlotte Trombold, she co-founded a neighborhood cooperative nursery school, worked with Head Start, and served for many years as director and teacher at the First Presbyterian Church Junior Kindergarten. In her mid-50s, Betty began participating in Masters swimming and diving, traveling to competitions around the world. She was an exceptional athlete who racked up a list of accomplishments in both sports. Well into her 80s, she continued to win national and world titles in diving in addition to holding world records in several Masters swimming events. In addition, Betty was an avid traveler with a passion for exploring new places, many of which are captured in a series of photos taken of her with her sister Jean, sporting matching muumuus at famous tourist destinations. At home in Wichita, she was an active member of First Presbyterian Church and WSU Dames and a supporter of the Wichita Symphony and the Kansas Association for the Blind. While Bettys work with preschool children and her athletic endeavors kept her busy, the driving force in her life was her devotion to her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert V. Christian, Jr.; her sisters, Effie and Jean; son-in-law, Mark Dold; and grandson, William Joel Christian-Dold. She is survived by her children, Robert Christian III, John Christian, Ann Christian-Dold, and Karen Christian (Elas Miguel Muoz); seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Bettys life was filled with great love for her family and was enriched by her early childhood education activities and her enthusiastic participation in swimming and diving, as both competitor and coach. She will be remembered as a beloved teacher and an inspiration to countless children, youth, and adults. A Memorial Service is scheduled for 2:00 P.M., Sunday, September 9, 2018 at Downing & Lahey Mortuary East Chapel. In lieu of flowers, Bettys family kindly requests that donations be made to Special Olympics (https://www.specialolympics.org/) or Best Buddies (https://www.bestbuddies.org/).