Mary E. Bettis

Mary Eva Bettis, 89, of Topeka, passed away Tuesday, June 11, 2013.

Mary was born December 8, 1923, in Chillicothe, Missouri, daughter of Joseph and Glen (Stone) Baumgartner. She graduated from Rothville High School in 1941.

She was united in marriage to George M. Bettis on October 1, 1945. They moved to Topeka in 1954.

Mary and George were involved in starting the Shawnee County Amateur Baseball Association in 1958. A field at SCABA was named in his honor. In 2010, Shawnee County Parks & Recreation formed a foundation to support the baseball complex and renamed it the Bettis Family Sports Complex. Mary was a sports enthusiast, and she followed her children, grandchildren, and the KU Jayhawks for many years.

After raising her children, she worked at C & W Market and later retired to take care of her grandchildren.

She was active in Parent Teacher Associations, and was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

Mary is survived by her four children, Terry (Karen) Bettis, Duane (Patricia) Bettis, Cheryl Spencer, and Kim (Mary Grace) Bettis; six grandchildren, Eric, Mark, Ashley, Amy, Casey, and Brian; and seven great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George, on January 1, 2000.

Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 15, 2013, at Penwell-Gabel Southwest Chapel, 3700 SW Wanamaker, Topeka. Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka. Mary will lie in state after 3:00 p.m. Friday, June 14, 2013, at the funeral home, and the family will receive friends from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Shawnee County Parks & Recreation Foundation, c/o Bettis Family Sports Complex, 3137 SE 29th Street, Topeka, KS, 66605, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 3625 SW Wanamaker, Topeka, KS 66614, or Alzheimer's Association, 4125 SW Gage Center Dr., Suite LL15, Topeka, KS 66604.

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