Obituaries

Elizabeth Whitaker Hall

Elizabeth “Betty” Hall of Kansas City, Mo., died May 7, 2008. Betty was born October 25, 1917, near Bucyrus, Kan., to Don C. and Nancy (Thomas) Whitaker. She graduated from Lane High School and from Ottawa University. She taught at Green Valley Rural School in Miami County and Baker Rural School in Franklin County before graduating from college. She taught in Kansas high schools in Cedar, Wellsville, and Ellis.

She moved to Ellis in 1949 and married Dr. James R. Hall in 1954 in Ottawa. They made their home in Ellis until 1996, when they moved to Kingswood Senior Living Community in Kansas City. Jim died in 2005.

Betty was a 41-year member of the Alpha Rho chapter of ESA; served many years on the Ellis Public Library Board; served on the Ellis County Historical Society Board; and was a member of the Ellis United Methodist Church, the chancel and hand bell choirs, the Courtney-Spalding chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Kansas National Education Association, and the National Education Association. She was the first president of Ellis City Teachers’ Association, organized in 1952. She received the Hall of Fame Teacher’s Award from the Ellis Alumni Association in 1986.

Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn Hall, Overland Park, Kan.; a son, Doug Hall, Des Moines, Iowa; a son-in-law, Steve Baru, Overland Park; a step-grandson, Jon Baru, Overland Park; five brothers, Don B. (Jean) Whitaker and Bob (Nancy) Whitaker, Lawrence, Kan.; Lewis (Betty) Whitaker, Huntington Beach, Calif.; Dick (Joan) Whitaker, Silver Spring, Md.; Phil (Carri) Whitaker, Overland Park; and a sister-in-law, Maureen Whitaker, Tucson, Az. Preceding her in death were her husband, Jim; her parents; and a brother, Ted.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday in Westminster Hall of Kingswood Senior Living Community, Kansas City. Graveside services will be 4 p.m. Saturday at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Kingswood Wesley Assistance Fund, 10000 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64114; or to Ellis United Methodist Church or Ellis Public Library.

Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, 325 S. Hickory Street, PO. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067.

Last updated on May 10, 2008

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