Betty Jane Ward Taliaferro

Betty was the second of four children born on June 27, 1931 in Chickasha, Oklahoma to the union of Otis Leon Ward and Robbie Jacqueline Caple. Her mother, father, sister, Alice M. Ward-Russell, and brother, Irvin K. Ward preceded her in death.

Betty spent her early years in Oklahoma where she attended pre-school on the Langston University campus and began grade school at St. Monica Catholic School in Tulsa. She embraced the Catholic faith there at age 7. The family then moved to Kansas in 1939. From age 7 to age 14 her life was spent at the Holy Epiphany Catholic School for Girls in Leavenworth, Kansas - operated by the Oblate Sisters of Providence from the Mother House in Baltimore, Maryland. Betty graduated 8th grade in 1945, then moved to Kansas City, Missouri where she attended 9th grade at R. T. Coles Jr. High. From 1946 to 1949 she attended Sumner High School in Kansas City, Kansas graduating in 1949, ranking in the upper ten percent of her class.

After graduation she married Charles J. Anderson, Sr. and to that union a daughter, Linda Marie, was born. Betty began work with the Internal Revenue Service for a period of two years then in 1952 she entered Howard University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1955, from its Freedman's Hospital School of Nursing. She returned to Kansas City, Kansas where she performed private duty nursing services, primarily working with a team of physicians performing open heart surgery at KU Medical Center. After a period of three years she was asked to join the nursing staff at the Wyandotte County Public Health Department where she remained for 34 years until retirement. While there she rose thru the ranks from a staff nurse (Phase I), Nursing Supervisor (Phase IV), Nursing Director (Phase V), then to Deputy Director of Health and Grants Coordinator where she had the responsibility of managing the staff programs, and all of the State and Federal Grants for the department.

Betty continued her education receiving a B.S. in Education from St. Mary College in Leavenworth and a Masters degree in both Nursing Education and Public Administration from Central Michigan University then pursued work on her PhD at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. While at UMKC, Betty was elected to membership in Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She was a member of Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority.

Betty was very active in the community serving on the Boards of many agencies - American Red Cross, Economic Opportunity Foundation, American Cancer Society, the United Way, American Nursing Association, the NAACP, Salvation Army - to name a few. She was appointed by two Kansas Governors to serve on State Commissions, the Kansas Board of Nursing Home Administrators and the Commission on Maternal and Child Health. Betty received numerous awards recognizing her for Humanitarian Community Services, namely Friends of Yates, Blacks in Government, Rockhurst University Pro Meritis, United Way Volunteer of the year, Jefferson Award from WDAF - TV, Now Black Woman Award from Drifters Inc., and Kansas Public Health Services award for Maternal- Child Health.

Betty was a member of Our Lady Catholic Church until she married Will C. Taliaferro in 1964, when they both joined Pleasant Green Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kansas, where she was a member of the Senior Choir. After the death of her mother and husband she joined St. Peter CME church then in 2017 she joined Greater Corinthian Church of the Christ, Non-Denominational, Kansas City, Missouri, under the Pastorate of Eric J. Roberson. Betty loved the Lord and she loved her church and church family. When asked what church she attended she affectionately referred to it as "GC3."

Betty loved to travel and traveled the world with her dear friends, Wilbur and Charlotte Goodseal. She also enjoyed attending plays-especially at the KC Rep, playing Bridge, working cross-word puzzles, and being around family and friends.

To cherish her blessed memory she leaves one daughter, Linda M. Robins, one grandson, Carl Robins, a foster grandson, Del Andre Campbell, a great grandson, Lorenzo Robins, one sister, Glenda Faye Fenwick (Joseph), a special nephew, Jason Fenwick, and many nieces, nephews and friends, and two special caregivers, Peggy Rowell (Cookie), and Nickie Cooperwood (Smiles).

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00am, Saturday, July 27 at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mtmoriah.net for the Taliaferro family.