Betty June Searls

Betty was born on June 29, 1933, at the family farm near Luana (Clayton County), Iowa, one of 11 children of Lewis J. McNally and Clara R. (Mork) McNally. She attended country school and then Postville High School, where she was in the same class as her future husband, Richard “Spike” Moore Searls. Betty continued her education for two years at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, to become a teacher and then for a year at Iowa State University and another at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1957.

Richard and Betty were married on June 12, 1959, in the Marion Lutheran Church in Gunder, Iowa. At various times during their marriage, they lived in Des Moines, Iowa, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marion, Iowa, and Ames, Iowa. Betty was a teacher, mostly first and second grade, and Spike was an accountant. When they moved to Ames, they joined the Collegiate United Methodist Church in 1969. They were married for 17 years, until his death on June 13, 1976, and had three children.

Betty taught for about 30 years, most of the time in Ames at Beardshear and then Fellows elementary schools, retiring in 1993. She loved children and teaching them how to read. She also enjoyed reading, herself, and would often stay up late at night to finish a good book! Betty enjoyed listening to a variety of music, attending barbershop concerts long after Spike had died, and she loved to dance!! She really enjoyed talking to people, especially keeping in touch with family and friends by phone and traveling to visit them—or just traveling for the sake of going to new places—taking trips to such places as Ireland, Germany, Ghana (while Paul was there in the Peace Corps), Alaska, Hawaii, and all over the continental US. While living in Ames, she became a stand-in mom for her nieces and nephews attending Iowa State University and later opened her home to Janet’s college friends and then several international students.

Josh, Laura, and Luke, her grandchildren, were a special joy, and when they were young, Betty would frequently take them out for breakfast or on donut runs while babysitting. She was also known to bake cookies, oatmeal raisin and molasses ginger being favorites. When her own kids were still at home, she would satisfy her sweet tooth by roasting marshmallows over the gas stove, blowing out the flame before enjoying the first crispy layer and toasting the marshmallow again. Also, popcorn was not just a snack but a legitimate meal on its own!

Betty is survived by her children, Michael “Mike” Searls, Janet (Rod) Johnson, and Paul (Lori) Searls; sisters, Patricia “Pat” Smith and Sandra “Sandy” Cutler; sister-in-law, Wanda McNally; grandchildren, Joshua “Josh” (Alyssa) Johnson, Laura (“Ted”) Park, Luke Johnson, Jen O’Malley, and Niki Eele; great-grandchildren, Lily Johnson, Kael Anderson, Kaelin Hughes, and Kamira Thomas; goddaughter, Dion Varty; and many nieces, nephews and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard Searls; five sisters, Mary (Lindy) Blatti, Lucy (Jim) Cochrane, Shirley (Don) Nylund, Virginia (Bob) Rude, and Dolores (Hugh) Varty; three brothers, Robert McNally, Wayne McNally, and Ronald “Mike” (Sarah) McNally; sister-in-law, Joan (Keith) Irwin; brothers-in-law, John Cutler, Jim (Mary) Searls, and Paul Smith; nephews, Jonathan Cutler, Doug DCamp, Rand McNally, Donovan Nylund, Steven Nylund, and William Varty; and great-niece, Rachel Paulson.

Betty was a vivacious, sweet, smart, kind, and generous person who loved her family tremendously. We are blessed to have had her in our lives.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Stevens Memorial Chapel, 607 28th Street, Ames, Iowa 50010.

Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Stevens Memorial Chapel. There will be a time of food and fellowship following the service at the funeral home.

Betty's ashes will be laid to rest at Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, Iowa at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the family and will be given to a charity of their choosing in loving memory of Betty.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left at www.stevensmemorialchapel.com for the Searls family.

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." --Matthew 6:31-34a