Betty Lucille Kennedy

Betty Swanson Kennedy passed away peacefully on 24 March 2023. She was 89 years old. Her final days were spent at her home sharing loving moments and memories with each of her children and grandchildren.

She was born Betty Lucille Butrick on December 14, 1933 to parents Russell and Grace in Comstock, WI. She graduated valedictorian of Cumberland High School in 1951 and obtained a degree in English Education from the University of Wisconsin in 1955.

Betty moved from Wisconsin to buy a modest home in Arvada CO in 1969. As a single parent, she worked long hours for many years, committed to maintaining a home for and feeding her family. She was fiercely independent and valued honesty and integrity above all, which she instilled in her children. As time passed and grandchildren grew, Swanee Manor has been the gathering place for numerous holidays, where she has been Granny to all of us and the center of our lives for so many years. She loved gardening, sewing, knitting, reading, putting puzzles together, and playing cards, Yahtzee, and Scrabble. Her family continue to enjoy her beautiful aprons, bowl cozies, afghans and sweaters.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Grace Butrick, brother Lyle Butrick and sister Helen (Jim) West.

Betty is survived by her brother Lauren Butrick of Eau Claire, WI; Children Jim (Luaine) Swanson, Kathy (Eric) Johnson, Susan Allen, Karen (Joe) Persichetti, Tom (Lacey Goetz) Swanson, and Carol (Carl) Trovall; grandchildren Jared Swanson, Mary (Jon) Hansen, Adam Swanson, Melissa Johnson, Chelsea (Lucas) Barnts, Valerie Eberhardt, Daniel Allen, Julie (Brett) Jorgenson, Jason Persichetti, Tristan Swanson, Aubrey Swanson, Elizabeth Trovall and Carl James (Hayley Mungia) Trovall; and great grandchildren Angelina, Roman, Liliana, Jimmy and Ian.

Betty and her family are grateful for the many doctors and nurses at Kaiser Permanente as well as the staff at Lutheran Hospice for their care and compassion.

A celebration of Life will be held in June or July – details coming. In lieu of flowers, Betty requested donations be made to Shriners Hospital which took care of her brother Lauren during the first several years of his life.