BETTY BLESSMAN
Betty was born to Harry and Blanche Stamper in Diagonal, Iowa where they lived until the family moved to Mount Ayr in 1935. Betty graduated from Mount Ayr High School and met the love of her life, Leroy Blessman from Clearfield, at the local roller rink. After high school, she moved to Des Moines and worked for the Iowa Driver’s License Department.
Betty and Leroy married December 23, 1943, and resided in Clearfield until 1968. They were blessed with two children, Dr. James Blessman of Polk City, Iowa, and Susan Lapour of Blue Springs, Missouri, five grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.
In November of 1968 they moved to Mount Ayr, and Betty worked for the Mount Ayr Veterinary Clinic for several years. She was an active member of the United Methodist Church and Eastern Star.
Betty loved spending time with her family and friends. She was spunky, loved to laugh and thoroughly enjoyed life. She kept busy with her hobbies of quilting, gardening, cooking, collecting dolls and playing cards. At the age of 30 she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and was told she would be in a wheelchair within 10 years. Thankfully it went into remission, and she stayed active until her death. At age 70 she took piano lessons and learned to swim. She was still riding her bicycle into her 80’s. She gave many home perms to her granddaughters and made outfits and doll clothes. She made lots of mashed potatoes over the years for her grandsons and was blessed to know and love all of her great-grandchildren.
Her favorite pastime in recent years, other than spending time with family and friends, was playing with her little dog, Jodie, who was her faithful companion until the end.
Betty and Leroy enjoyed 67 wonderful years of marriage. She lived in Blue Springs, Missouri with her daughter Susan since Leroy’s death August 21, 2011.
She will be greatly missed by her sister, Mary (Dean) Cobb; her children, Jim (Beth) Blessman, and Susan (Tom) Lapour; her grandchildren, Christy (Dave) Caldwell, Dustin (Rene) Blessman, Kelsey (Robert) Seaberg, Steve (Jane) Lapour and Laurie (Steve) Bettlach; and her great-grandchildren, AJ, Zach, and Olivia Caldwell, Juniper Seaberg, Hannah, Aubrey and Tommy Lapour and Allison, Sam, and Katlyn Bettlach; her sister-in-laws, Lois Wurster and Esther Blessman, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Her parents, her husband and three of her siblings, Dorothy Campbell, Helen Gordon and Harry Stamper preceded Betty in death.
Services were held Monday, October 20, 2014 at the United Methodist Church in Mount Ayr with Rev. Skip Rushing officiating.
Active casketbearers were Dan Cunning, Ron Schlapia, Jerry Murphy, Mark Schuelke, Kevin Nelson and Jack Wackernagle.
Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr.
Memorial funds have been established to the Blessman Ministries and the Mount Ayr United Methodist Church.
