Betty Ellen Mc Creery

Betty Mc Creery, 87, of Pella and formerly of Oskaloosa passed away Saturday morning, May 28, 2016, at the Pella Hospice Comfort House. Betty Ellen Mc Creery, daughter of John Franklin and Millie (Furnold) Edwards, was born February 28, 1929, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. She was a 1947 graduate of Oskaloosa High School and then went to work as a telephone operator, a job she enjoyed. She married the love-of-her-life, Donald Dean Mc Creery, April 3, 1949, in Davenport, Iowa. Because of Don’s career as a journeyman electrician, the family moved to numerous states including, Washington, Arizona, and Texas, with Oskaloosa always being their home base. Betty was a homemaker through these years, time and again turning a different house into a home and helping her daughters adjust to new communities and schools. Following Don’s retirement, they spent 20 winters in the Tucson, Arizona, where Betty enjoyed meeting new people and visiting new places. She treasured the time she shared with her family, especially her grandchildren, and the company of her two dogs, Bandit and Moe. She also enjoyed collecting small clocks and miniature tea sets. Her family includes her husband of 67 years, Don of Pella; her daughters: Rhonda Hart of Oskaloosa, Sonja (Joel) De Rose of Kansas City, MO, and Tonia Mc Creery of Altoona, IA; eight grandchildren: Ritchie Hart Jr. and Bridget (Dan) Woodworth, both of Oskaloosa, Lisa (Eric) Cosgrove, Geoffrey De Rose, Jeremy De Rose, Elizabeth De Rose, Samantha De Rose, all of Kansas City, MO, and Christina De Rose of Raytown, MO; eleven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Lily Edwards of Oskaloosa and Madge Gaughnour of San Jacinto, CA. In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by five sisters: Wanda Miller, Mary Sheely, Jean Bixby, Pat Wagoner, and infant sister, Doris; seven brothers: Emmett, John, Phillip, David, Jerry Michael, and Robert and Howard as toddlers; a grandson; a great-granddaughter, and a son-in-law, Ritchie Hart. Funeral services for Betty will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 1, 2016, at the Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Pastor Robb Bruns of the Fremont Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in the Abel Cemetery near Hedrick, Iowa. Visitation will begin on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral chapel; the family will be present from 5-7 p.m. to greet visitors. Memorials may be made to the Pella Hospice Comfort House.

Betty Ellen Mc Creery

May 28, 2016 - May 28, 2016