Betty Ann Craft

Betty was born May 9, 1925 in Kansas City, MO, daughter of Mark E. and Frances M. (Shotts) Bogart. She was a professional musician and co-owner of The Health Food Haven that opened in 1961 off of 38th & Broadway, later moving to 51st and Main. Most of her life she performed under the stage name, Betty Bryan, as a singer in Kansas City and throughout much of the world and for a long time in California. The Kansas City Star in 1968 summed up Betty’s singing career as follows: “If you like tall blondes who sing in foreign languages, you’ll like Betty Bryan. The bright and breezy singer can make the piano speak in those languages, too. And, to add a little more flavor, she can handle a Spanish guitar. Betty’s big show goes on nightly at the Seville room of the Plaza Inn, Forty-fifth and Main streets.” She had the longest performance contract of any woman at Disneyland. Betty sang in 13 languages (Spanish, French, Portuguese, Greek, Japanese, German, Italian and Hebrew just to name a few).

She was preceded in death by her parents and son Dr. Mark Crooks. Betty is survived by her son John Crooks of Kansas City, MO; granddaughters Sarah Miller and husband Scott of Shawnee, KS and Amanda Crooks of Belton, MO; and two great-grandchildren Blake and Bryce Miller of Shawnee, KS.