Betty Ailene Worthley

Betty Ailene Worthley was born to James and Gladys Frisbie on October 6, 1925. She lived with her parents and younger sister, June, in Spring Fork, Missouri. James and Gladys divorced, and her father remarried Alma Morton. Alma was a wonderful stepmother to Betty and June. Alma came into the marriage with a son named Rex Morton. Betty, June, and their step brother lived with James and Alma in a rural area south of Sedalia where Betty attended a small grade school and attended the Methodist Church nearby.

Betty attended Smithton High School. She met Leslie Earl Worthley in her junior year in study hall. Betty, who had been anxious to get to know him, asked him what time it was even though she had a watch on her arm. She had stars in her eyes over this very cute basketball-star-of-a-boy. At age 16, her father gave her permission to marry him if she promised to finish high school, and they married on May 27 1942. School had to wait because just a few months later, she became pregnant, and she was too sick to finish out her senior year. She gave birth to Robert Worthley in July 1943, and that same year, Earl joined the army. He was eventually sent overseas, leaving Betty to live with his parents in Sedalia. Janice Worthley was born in July 1945, and Earl was discharged from the Army later that year. Betty had saved enough money from Earl’s army pay to buy a lot in Independence. They were able to use that lot as collateral to secure a loan to build their first home. Later, they moved to the Raytown area and lived there until 1980.

When Janice started kindergarten, Betty started working at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She worked there until she retired in 1980 after 25 years of service. She had a brief interruption in the early 60’s, when she worked at the bakery on Troost where Hostess Cupcakes were made. Later, she ran the Mugs Up Drive-In in the heart of Raytown. At Southwestern Bell, she was a long-distance operator and worked split shifts for most of her career until she transferred to AT&T. There, she was responsible for training employees who had purchased AT&T phone systems.

Betty and Earl loved the Lake of the Ozarks and spent every weekend there from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They purchased their first cabin on Cable Point near Climax Springs MO in 1959. In 1980, when she retired, they built their retirement home on the 2 lots next to their cabin. They lived there until Earl passed away in 2012. She lived there alone for 3 more years, but in 2015, she moved in with her daughter so she could have the day-to-day support she needed.

Betty and Earl always had a big garden. Betty canned all the fruits of that garden for many years. She loved to fish for crappie. She was the best fish cook in the world, according to many people. She loved to dance! She and Earl were quite the Jitterbuggers throughout their marriage of 70 years. She had a beautiful soprano voice, and she always sang as she worked around the house. Her favorite songs were “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “O Solo Mio”. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and she was a kind, gentle person. She loved her family fiercely, and she was such a warm and precious grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother. Nothing made her happier than for the family to get together and eat! She was known as the “food pusher”. From 1965 until 2010, Betty and Earl traveled across the country in motor homes, including Alaska. They also went to Canada, Nova Scotia, and Mexico in their RV. They vacationed in the Bahamas & Hawaii as well.

Betty was a member of American Legion Post 624 Ladies Auxiliary. She was in the Firebirds group for the Volunteer Fire House that Earl helped build near Climax Springs. She was a member of ATT/Pioneers Missouri as a retiree of AT&T. Betty was a member of Climax Springs Presbyterian Church and had always believed in God but had never personally accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior until April 14, 2018. It was at that point she shared that she had a great peace about reaching the end of her life on earth, knowing she has a new home in heaven waiting for her.

Betty was preceded in death by her mother, Gladys; her stepmother, Alma; her father James; her husband, Earl; her sister, June Hays; her stepbrother, Rex Morton; her son, Robert; her grandson, Sean; and so many other family and precious friends.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Janice Brown (Burt); grandsons, Robert (Misty) and Dan (Victoria) Worthley; granddaughter, Lori Melton; great grandchildren, Tiffany Yunker (Jason), Tabitha Worthley, Jessica Williams (Alex), Lindsey McClain (Justin), Zechariah & Caleb Melton, Nicholas and Joshua Worthley; her great great grandchildren, Dexter Yunker, Lucy, Katherine, William, J. D. McClain, and Olive Beckner. Betty will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.

Thanks to St Luke’s Hospice & Kansas City Hospice, Laticia Ross (Elite Compassion), Caregivers: Alyssa Riggs, Lois Holman, Darlene Godsey, Simone Williams, Kelsey Orem, Carla Cockrum, Jane Clements, Julie Melton, Caleb Melton, and Gloria James for their loving care for her & for the prayers & support of her church family at Grace Baptist Church of Lee’s Summit.

The Visitation for Betty will be held at 9:00am Saturday, May 27th, 2023 at Grace Baptist Church - Lee's Summit (850 MO-150, Lee's Summit, MO 64082). The Funeral Service will begin at 10:00am and will be followed by a procession to the Graveside Committal at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens (7000 Blue Ridge Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64133)