Services will be held January 3 at St Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson for Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Kious, longtime Jefferson resident.
Father Bill Schreiber, pastor of the church, will celebrate the Mass of the Resurrection. Sheilah Pound will be soloist, accompanied by Janet Sabus.
Casket bearers will be Kevin Alsup, Gary Gray, Jeremy Kious, Tyler Kious, Quentin Kious and Canan Bullard. Interment will be at the Jefferson Municipal Cemetery.
Elizabeth Jane Kendall, known as Betty, was born Feb. 2, 1930, in Jefferson. She was the daughter of Lawrence “Sandy” Kendall and Dorothy Muthard Fisher Kendall.
Betty lived in Jefferson nearly all her life. During her growing-up years, Betty’s summer days were spent at the swimming pool every day, except for the time spent detasseling seed corn. Betty was part of the Girl Scout program. In high school, Betty enjoyed five years of band and four years of singing in the school choir. She was part of the girl’s glee club and she sang for two years in the girls sextet. Betty also rolled bandages for the Red Cross during the war.
After graduating high school in 1948, Betty worked for Iowa Electric Light and Power Company for five years. On April 18, 1952, Betty was united in marriage to Dane Kious. Betty and Dane became the parents of six children: Mike, Rosemary, Tim, Carol, Jeffrey, and Sandra. Betty was a fulltime homemaker while the children were growing up. Family life included many Little League baseball games, football games, and basketball games.
Betty was a member of Beta Tau Delta for 20-some years, and also a member of B.P.O. Does #169. She joined the Greene County Country Club and learned to play golf. Betty and Dane both enjoyed playing golf in other communities and at Okoboji’s yearly tournament. They belonged to a couples bridge club for more than 50 years. When Dane retired in 1992, the couple enjoyed traveling.
Betty loved to read, crochet, and sing. She became a member of Greene County Community Players in 1975 and she appeared in many community musicals from 1975 – 2000. She was a faithful member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson and was a member of the church choir for more than 72 years.
Betty Kious passed away Dec. 29, 2023 in Urbandale at the age of 93 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Dane in 2017; her son Tim in 2011; her grandson Ryan Michael; a brother, Hale; and a sister, Kay.
Survivors include her children Mike (Chris) Kious of Bella Vista, AR, Rosie (Ray) Tucker of Jefferson, Carol (Gary) Gray of Omaha, NE, Jeff (Julie) Kious of Pittsboro, NC, and Sandy (Kevin) Alsup of Gravette, AR; daughter-in-law, Penny Kious of Jefferson; grandchildren Jeremy (Sarah) Kious, Tyler Kious, Brandon Kious, Canan Bullard, Autumn Phillips, Jason Fandel, Deanna Wright, Bryant Fandel, and Matt Johnson; great-grandchildren Gavin and Alexis Kious, Quentin and Aleea Kious, Kennedy Bullard, Eli, Abraham, and Leighton Phillips, Norah Kious, James and Chloe Fandel, and Emma Wright; numerous extended family; and friends.
The family is assisted by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson.
