Elizabeth Louise (Betty) Widdows

Elizabeth Louise (Betty) Widdows of Apache Junction, AZ, formerly of Wichita, KS, passed away Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Glendale, AZ after a brief illness. She was born in Hays, KS on March 21, 1943, the youngest of 6 children. Betty grew up in Ness City, KS and Sharon, KS before her dad died when she was 6 years old. The family then moved to Wichita, KS where she attended All Saints School. After high school at Sacred Heart Academy in Wichita, KS, Betty went to the Wichita - St. Joseph School of Nursing, graduating in May of 1965. She then joined the US Air Force where she worked her way up to a Nursing Supervisor, achieving the rank of Major, before retiring after 12 years, including more than 3 years in Germany and eventually joining the Air Force Reserves for an additional 7 years. Betty was an avid traveler, both in the United States and abroad. She loved to golf and fish, particularly for trout, whenever the opportunity arose. Betty even learned to operate and drive an RV pulling her car so she could travel with her home on wheels. In addition to traveling, she loved to entertain and cook for her many acquaintances, often hosting in excess of 100 friends at a gathering. Betty eventually settled down in Apache Junction, Arizona with her companion Lois Beeby. She enjoyed spending the summer in the mountains at Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ where it was cooler than down in the desert. They continued to travel as they were able to, often to family reunions for the Widdows family held every other year somewhere around the country. Betty was preceded in death by her parents LeRoy and Mary Widdows; brothers, Robert, William, Donald and Thomas Widdows; sister, Venda Hemken; nephew Dennis R Hemken, niece Linda Lee Widdows and great niece Anne Marie Ewald. Surviving Betty at the time of her death are: her companion, Lois Beeby of Apache Junction, AZ; sister in Law, Alicia Widdows, of Wichita, KS; nieces, Doris (Michael) Gerik, Dolores (Jerome) Ewald, Diane (Fredrick) Stump all of Wichita, KS; Debbie (Paul) Sontheimer of Peculiar, MO; Julie (John) Martin of Azle, TX, Nancy (Chad) Forster, of Apple Valley, Ohio, Victoria (Richard) Volkmann, Sequim, WA.; niece in law Linda Hemken of Prescott, KS; nephews: David Hemken, of Evergreen CO; Steve (Mitzi) Widdows of Issaquah, WA, Allen (Aleacia) Widdows of Monroe, UT; Tony Reali of Wichita, KS; and many great nieces and nephews as well as numerous travel friends across the globe and in particular in the Apache Junction and Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona areas. Rosary will be Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 10:30 am, followed by the Funeral Mass at 11:00 am, both at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 861 North Socora Street, Wichita, Kansas. Services in care of Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.