Betty J. Cohen

September 14th, 1926 – August 28th, 2018

Betty Johnson Cohen, adored wife, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, aunt, and dear friend of many left this world peacefully on the evening of Tuesday, August 28th, 2018.

The first child of John and Blanche Johnson (Bratton); Betty was born in Beagle, Kansas on September 14th, 1926. Her brother Jack arrived five years later, where they both grew up in Beagle, Kansas attending the local schools. Betty graduated from Osawatomie High School with the class of 1944 and soon after began working for her uncle who owned the Paola Butter Company. During this time, she enjoyed taking the train to Kansas City to visit friends and within a few months decided to move there where she lived in a boarding house with other young, working women, including Audrey Klein and Dean Lloyd, who remained lifelong friends.

Betty held several jobs in the post war years; one of the most interesting positions was with the Army Effects Bureau at Kansas City where she received and safeguarded thousands of packages of WW II veteran’s irreplaceable personal property until the items could be returned to the owner or forwarded to family. After the need for that work ended, Betty took a new job with the National Weather Service. Not long after, via introduction by mutual friends, she met Al Cohen, who had recently returned home after serving in occupied Japan where he helped rebuild the phone systems in cities that had been decimated by the war. Al was attending KU on the GI bill and it didn’t take too long for him to be smitten with the sweet, petite and witty Betty Johnson. They enjoyed a quintessential mid- 20th century courtship, dancing at clubs around KC, going on double dates to ice-skating and roller rinks and drives back and forth to Lawrence! This led to Al proposing marriage and with their good friends Bob and Dean Lloyd serving as Best Man and Matron of Honor, they were married on September 17th, 1950 at the Community Christian Church at 48th and Main Street on the Country Club Plaza.

Betty and Al’s 62 years of marriage began with a honeymoon to Denver and Colorado Springs and the discovery of their love for travel and adventure. The most memorable of their many trip was sailing on the Queen Elizabeth for a three week trip to Europe, then flying back on a TWA jet. Upon their return, their son’s, Barry and Cris freaked out because they did not recognize Mommy as she was wearing the latest Audrey Hepburn style scarf and sunglasses! They also had an adventurous trip to Rio de Janeiro during Al’s year serving as Potentate for the Ararat Shrine. In between they made numerous trips to Ixtapa, Acapulco and in their later years to their cottage at the Lake of the Ozarks. Betty loved driving their boat while Al continued to slalom water ski into his seventies.

Betty embraced life and was the consummate hostess; in 1962 her cooking and entertaining skills were featured in the Kansas City Star which included a photo of her preparing dishes for a bridge club luncheon; youngest son Cris by her side. She was an avid card and game player and was a member of several bridge and mahjong clubs. But most of all, Betty was devoted to her family. She was active in the Shrine with Al; sewing many a costume for one party after another. She helped and supported Barry and Cris with their respective interests in music, football and gymnastics throughout their childhood and teen years. And being a Grandma to Ariana, Haleigh, and Camryn gave her the joy of having girls that she could take on shopping excursions, attend movies with and play games, work on jigsaw puzzles and help make scrapbooks. She will be fondly remembered and deeply missed.

A private, family only memorial service will be held at a later date. To honor Betty’s memory, the family suggests donations to Armour Oaks Senior Living Community; Kansas City’s oldest not-for-profit senior living home located at 8100 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64114; (816) 787-0120; www.armouroaks.org

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