Betty I. Clements, age 96, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away at home on September 8, 2024, after a brief illness. Betty was born to Fred E. Ganz and Mildred J. (née Robinson) Ganz on January 26, 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Vincent J. Clements and also her son Richard Lee Clements.
Betty graduated from Central High School in 1945 and in May 1949 with a degree in art from the University of Missouri (Kansas City). One day in 1949 she walked into a frame shop where Vincent Clements was working and he thought she was quite something in her mouton fur coat. Vincent was a WWII Marine vet and earned his degree in painting from the Kansas City Art Institute in May 1949. They were married on August 13, 1949, and had five children, Deborah Ann, David Mark, Kathleen Jo, Richard Lee and Robert Fred.
In the early 1950s, Betty was teaching elementary school in the Center School District and Vincent was in advertising producing newspaper layouts for Katz Drug Company. After living a short time in Dallas, Texas, where Richard was born in 1960, the family moved to the Hickman Hills area of Kansas City, Missouri, settling into a ranch style home on a safe street on two acres backed by woods. Her belief was that it would be better for her children to live on a dead end street for riding bikes safely (back in those days they did not call it a cul de sac). Betty was then teaching in the Raymore-Peculiar School District and also became the President of the Hickman Mills Community Council. Hickman Mills had been incorporated into Kansas City, Missouri in 1961. Various news articles in The Kansas City Star mentioned her activities on behalf of the community including the debate over a potential landfill (ultimately defeated), issues concerning local bars, lack of parks in the area accessible to children, and transit issues, among others. One of her last big fights was zoning for an apartment complex near her home with a lack of ingress/egress and potential traffic congestion - the complex was never built. Betty joked about being on a first name basis with members of the Liquor Control Department and the Missouri Department of Transportation. Never afraid to canvas door-to-door to get the word out, Betty was a bit of a force to reckon with. After giving up teaching in the Raymore-Peculiar School District, Betty jumped right in to help teachers she knew by babysitting their children for their peace of mind. Her talents for babysitting spread by word-of-mouth and soon she was kept very busy assisting others with their children. Throughout the rest of her life, many of these families continued to keep in contact with her as she had touched their lives in so many positive ways. She was always happy and grateful to see them and catch up on their comings and goings.
A deeply religious person, Betty was an active member of the Terrace Lake Methodist Church and made many friends there. If the church hall was used for a special event, you could usually find her in the kitchen helping to clean up. From her school days on, Betty would frequent the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and whenever there would visit the unique Chinese bodhisattva Kuan Yin located in the East Asian collection to sit, gather her thoughts and meditate - her last visit was in May of 2023. She would be honored if you would also visit Kuan Yin and think of her there. She also loved taking her grandchildren from an early age at Christmas to see the Nutcracker and they will have memories of that time with her. Throughout her life Betty was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother and grandmother, a diligent caregiver (in total to five elderly family members), always putting others first, confidante to many with her wise advice and ready ear; always pragmatic and with a great, sometimes dry, sense of humor. She was a push-over when it came to children and animals - there was a steady stream of cats (too numerous to count), dogs, rabbits, goats, a donkey, ponies and even a raccoon that were welcomed to the family over the years. As for her kids, there were piano lessons, obligatory swimming lessons and she spent many hours watching her sons' baseball games on the dusty fields at the Y. She enjoyed spending time tending to her flower garden and especially enjoyed her Stargazer Lilies - try growing them in your garden! Sewing was something she learned as a teen and utilized that knowledge for her growing family at times by making clothing for them. Another talent was crocheting which, in time, became a way to provide crocheted baby blankets for charitable donations through the Terrace Lake Methodist Church. Over time she produced over 1,900 blankets through her endeavors. When it was no longer comfortable for her to crochet, she taught great granddaughter Elise to finish an incomplete blanket just this last January and was very pleased with the result. And, it seems, this talent has now been passed on to Elise as she continues to crochet a variety of fun items. Betty was always doing something - a busy body with busy hands. In an effort to get husband Vincent out of this recliner she would tell him "I'd rather wear out than rust out"...that became her motto and true to that motto...she finally managed to wear out. She was an incredible woman and will be greatly missed by family and friends.
The family requests no flowers as per Betty's wishes and donations may be made to the Terrace Lake Methodist Church in her name. She leaves two daughters, Deborah Clements, Fairway, KS; Kathleen McEntire, Camden Point, MO; and two sons, David Clements and wife Susanne, Leawood, KS; Robert Clements and wife Stacy, at home; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Friends are invited to join the family for a meal following the graveside service. This will be held at Terrace Lake United Methodist Church, 4500 E. Red Bridge Rd. Kansas City, MO 64137. Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZvT6DheXiox2ZRfE7
DONACIONES
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIOCOMPARTA
v.1.11.6