Betty Born

Betty Lou Born, 92, passed away on Saturday, August 11, 2018, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Betty was born August 6, 1926, on a farm in Lewis County, Missouri, the first of four daughters born to Milo Milton and Lou Ella (Kerfoot) Mitchell. The family moved a short distance when she was six years old to the small village of Maywood, where she attended and graduated from elementary school. She then attended and graduated from the nearby LaGrange, Missouri, high school in 1943. Her first job, at age 16, was as a typist at Moorman Manufacturing Company in Quincy, Illinois, followed by six months’ education at Gem City Business College in Quincy, where she attained a secretarial certificate. She was then employed as a secretary by the (then) Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in Chicago for a few months. Upon returning to Quincy, Betty became employed as secretary to the General Manager of Radio Station WTAD and First Vice President of Sales for Lee Broadcasting, Inc. Betty left Quincy upon her marriage to Leo W. Born, Vice President in Charge of Engineering for Lee Broadcasting, Inc., and the newlyweds subsequently settled in Topeka, Kansas. Leo predeceased her on October 25, 1989. In 2013 Betty moved to Lawrence, Kansas to be closer to family. In Topeka, Betty was employed for 30 years by the U.S. Department of Justice, in the Office of United States Attorney for the District of Kansas. She served there for most of that time as Administrative Officer for the district. During her tenure, and at age 45, she began twelve years’ attendance at Washburn University’s night school, graduating in 1983 with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration. Betty participated in various community activities through the years and will likely be best remembered for her interests in the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) organization and ERC Resource and Referral. She is survived by three daughters: Brenda Born Findley (John) of Atlanta, Georgia; Shelley Born Diehl (Frank) of Lawrence, Kansas; and, Rev. Janna Born Larsen (Steve) of Northumberland, Pennsylvania; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; also, her sister, Rosa Lee Mitchell Foster of Quincy, Illinois. Betty was preceded in death by both parents, husband and sisters Carlene Mitchell Klarner of Moline, Illinois, and Dorothy Mitchell Moore of Scottsdale, Arizona. A memorial service will be held at the Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 S.W. Urish Road, Topeka, Kansas. The family will receive visitors on Saturday, September 22, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. with service beginning at 3:00 p.m. Private inurnment in Mission Center Cemetery will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to NARFE Alzheimer’s Research in care of the funeral home.

Betty Born

August 6, 1926 - August 11, 2018