Betty Jane Edwards Bland, 95, returned to her heavenly home January 21, 2022. She was a strong, independent woman, able to live as she wanted most of her life-on her own, in her own home, until recently moving to Hospice House.

Betty was born May 3, 1926, in Newton, to Edward O. and Daisy M. (Shaw) Edwards.  She grew up in Florence, KS, and was a 1944 high school graduate.  While working as a bookkeeper at the Ford Agency in Florence, she met and married Richard "Dick" Bland on November 22, 1947, in El Dorado, KS. They shared nearly 45 years of marriage. He preceded her in death on August 29, 1992.

Because of Dick's job with Southwestern Bell, they moved around at the beginning of their marriage, but settled in Hutchinson, where they raised their two children. Betty was a bookkeeper at KWBW-KHUT radio station for 20 years, retiring in 1988. You could hear her on the radio over the years filling in for Wilma Perks Welch on Perky's Party Line. Betty loved going to her son's baseball games and volunteering as a Cub Scout Mom and an assistant Girl Scout leader for her daughter. She enjoyed watching the KC Royals, the KC Chiefs, and her beloved KU Jayhawks basketball team, and was an avid reader. Betty was a member of Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church, and had a strong faith in God.

She was a loving and caring mother and an equally loving and caring grandmother and great- grandmother. Betty never missed sending cards and gifts to them every birthday and holiday throughout the year. She enjoyed creating children's games and planning trips with family in Kansas and Oregon. Betty flew by herself to Oregon every November to spend Thanksgiving with her family, until she was 93 years old, and then Covid hit. Her family will greatly miss her.

Betty is survived by: daughter, Marcia (Larry) Bickel, Harper, KS; daughter-in-law, Patty (Jones) Bland, Beaverton, OR; grandchildren, Kelly (Gabor) Muskat, Beaverton, OR, Darren (Cori) Bland, Corvallis, OR, Stephanie (Alex) Arteaga, Woodridge, IL, and Jon Bickel, Lawrence; and great-grandchildren, Samuel and Patrick Muskat, Gabby, Haley, and Drew Bland all of Oregon; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by: her parents; her brother, John Edwards; her husband, Richard; and her son, Galen Bland.

Celebration of Life service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2022, at Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church, 300 W. 10 ^th , Hutchinson, with Pastor Richard Brooks officiating.  A private burial took place at an earlier date in Fairlawn Burial Park, Hutchinson.

If you would like to make a donation in Betty's name, please consider Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church, Hospice House of Hutchinson, or the American Heart Association, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS  67501.