Obituary for Betty Powers
Betty Mae (Wehling) Powers, 84, of Mulvane, KS passed on September 9, 2019. Visitation Friday, September 13, from 2:00-8:00 pm will be held at Smith Family Mortuary, Mulvane. Family to receive friends from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. A memorial service will be held at Mulvane Christian Church Saturday, September 14, at 10:00 am with graveside services following at Mulvane Cemetery.
Betty was born October 23, 1934 and grew up on a farm in Hennessey OK. She graduated from Hennessey High School where she developed a love of music, played the trumpet, and along with six of her girlfriends formed an all-girl band named The Sloppy Seven. Of the Sloppy Seven Betty reminisced, “Not only did we play sloppy, but we dressed sloppy too. We sure had fun playing around Hennessey during our high school days.”
Betty graduated from Phillips University in 1956 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. While in college, Betty met her husband the late Bruce Theodore (Ted) Powers. They were married June 1, 1956, at the First Christian Church in Hennessey OK.
In 1956, Ted and Betty moved to Mulvane, where they spent most of their lives raising their three children, supporting their church (Mulvane Christian Church) and contributing to the growth of their community. Initially, Betty spent her time working as a full time homemaker and mother, teaching private trumpet lessons at home. Betty also worked for a few years as a secretary at Munson Primary School. After obtaining her teacher certification c1967, Betty taught 4th grade for 27 years.
From c1969 to c1979 Betty acted as the Director of the Mulvane Girls’ Summer Recreation Softball Program (see reprint article in this edition of the Mulvane News). This was the very first organized summer sport for girls in the town of Mulvane.
After retiring from teaching in 1995, Betty enjoyed going to the Mulvane Senior Center and volunteering for the Meals-On-Wheel program.
Survivors include daughter Cindy (John) Kennedy, granddaughter Mackenzie (Landon) Kennedy Dalley, grandson Ian (Kim) Kennedy, grandson Mitchell (Jackie) Kennedy, great- granddaughter Dylan Kennedy, great-grandson Ian Kennedy all of Lubbock, TX; daughter Shari (Peter) Bonnesen, grandson Christopher Bonnesen of Knoxville, TN; son Charles T. Powers of Mulvane; brother Billy (Harriet) Wehling of Enid, OK.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years Bruce Theodore (Ted) Powers and by her parents Charles and Bertha Wehling of Enid OK.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Ted and Betty Powers Scholarship Fund at the Carson Bank. A scholarship from this fund is awarded to a graduating Mulvane band student each year.
Betty was born October 23, 1934 and grew up on a farm in Hennessey OK. She graduated from Hennessey High School where she developed a love of music, played the trumpet, and along with six of her girlfriends formed an all-girl band named The Sloppy Seven. Of the Sloppy Seven Betty reminisced, “Not only did we play sloppy, but we dressed sloppy too. We sure had fun playing around Hennessey during our high school days.”
Betty graduated from Phillips University in 1956 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. While in college, Betty met her husband the late Bruce Theodore (Ted) Powers. They were married June 1, 1956, at the First Christian Church in Hennessey OK.
In 1956, Ted and Betty moved to Mulvane, where they spent most of their lives raising their three children, supporting their church (Mulvane Christian Church) and contributing to the growth of their community. Initially, Betty spent her time working as a full time homemaker and mother, teaching private trumpet lessons at home. Betty also worked for a few years as a secretary at Munson Primary School. After obtaining her teacher certification c1967, Betty taught 4th grade for 27 years.
From c1969 to c1979 Betty acted as the Director of the Mulvane Girls’ Summer Recreation Softball Program (see reprint article in this edition of the Mulvane News). This was the very first organized summer sport for girls in the town of Mulvane.
After retiring from teaching in 1995, Betty enjoyed going to the Mulvane Senior Center and volunteering for the Meals-On-Wheel program.
Survivors include daughter Cindy (John) Kennedy, granddaughter Mackenzie (Landon) Kennedy Dalley, grandson Ian (Kim) Kennedy, grandson Mitchell (Jackie) Kennedy, great- granddaughter Dylan Kennedy, great-grandson Ian Kennedy all of Lubbock, TX; daughter Shari (Peter) Bonnesen, grandson Christopher Bonnesen of Knoxville, TN; son Charles T. Powers of Mulvane; brother Billy (Harriet) Wehling of Enid, OK.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years Bruce Theodore (Ted) Powers and by her parents Charles and Bertha Wehling of Enid OK.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Ted and Betty Powers Scholarship Fund at the Carson Bank. A scholarship from this fund is awarded to a graduating Mulvane band student each year.