Betty Reynolds

Betty Reynolds was born in a farmhouse near Fredonia, KS to Joe Riley and Martha Elizabeth Porter on

March 6, 1933. This was a connection to a simple life that she cherished and shared with her two brothers

Richard and Gene. She met her future husband George in a bookkeeping class in Eldorado High School

where they quickly became friends. Betty babysat for Homer Reynolds’ children, George’s brother, and

George would visit Betty there every chance he could. Their love blossomed and they were married on

June 8, 1951, in El Dorado, KS in a very simple ceremony. This was the beginning of a love story

spanning almost 72 years. Their early years were spent in El Dorado where they had a daughter Connie

and son Terry. When George went to work for Cessna, they moved to Wichita, KS where daughter Judy

was born. There Betty started working for the federal government. Her career spanned 29½ years during

which she worked for the Internal Revenue Service, the Veteran’s Administration and the U.S.

Department of Agriculture. Her only son, Terry, was lost due to a terrible accident in August 2009. Betty

loved her children dearly and her eyes would truly sparkle when grandchildren, and especially when great

grandchildren, visited She always enjoyed holding the babies and showing them how much they were

loved! Betty was a prolific reader and she loved sharing this gift. She always had children’s books on

hand and would read to the little ones in her life. Betty loved to travel and with George by her side, she

went on many vacations throughout the United States and cruises in the Caribbean. When she could no

longer travel in person, she continued her travels through the books she read.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents Joe Riley and Martha Elizabeth Porter, her brothers Gene and

Richard Porter and her beloved son Terry Reynolds.

Betty is remembered and terribly missed by her husband of almost 72 years, George Reynolds, her

daughters Connie Hawkinson (Randall) and Judy Stout (Steve), eight grandchildren; Maggie Butterfield

(Arlee), Katie Gleichman (Joe), Shelly Cain, Ronni Reynolds, Tabitha Stout, Nick Stout (Deanna), Aaron

Hawkinson (Ginger), and Jennifer Hensley (Joe) and fifteen great grandchildren; Madelynne, Maylee,

Abigail, Eleanor, Josie, Lily, Leaha, Piper, Atticus, Levi, Mackenzie, Wyatt, Isaac, Ethan and Ellison.

Betty was always such a gentle, kind and generous person always putting others before herself. She has

requested a simple graveside service that is being planned for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers

the family requests that donations be made in her name to the United Methodist Open Door, P.O. Box

2756, Wichita, KS 67201-2756.