Bettie L. Draeger, 89, of Carthage, Mo., formerly of Chetopa, died at 5:03 a.m., Monday, August 16, 2021, at the St. Luke’s Care Center, in Carthage, Mo.
Born June 25, 1932, at her family home in rural Chetopa, Bettie Lou was the daughter of James Andrew and Lulu Mae (Mayfield) Sexton. She was the fourth of seven siblings.
As a young girl, Bettie grew up and attended school in the Columbus area. She was a graduate of Cherokee County Community High School with the class of 1949.
Bettie and Marvin Christz Draeger were united in marriage March 6, 1950, at Bella Vista, Ark. The couple farmed in the Chetopa area until their retirement in 2002. Marvin preceded her in death December 9, 2013. Bettie was also preceded in death her parents; daughter Connie Lou Beecham; grandson, Robert James “Buddy” Beecham; brother, Howard Andrew “Bud” Sexton; sisters, Lois Sexton, Olive Parish, and Delores Clark; brothers-in-law, Arthur “Art” Parish, Jimmy Davis, Vernon Clark, Albert “Lee” Draeger and Wesley Ray Ball; sisters-in-law, Margaret Sexton and Janelle Allen; and nephew, Jim Parish.
A committed Christian, Bettie was an active member of the First Christian Church of Chetopa and in earlier years, the Faulkner Christian Church in Faulkner until it closed. Bettie’s interests and hobbies included reading, fishing, making crafts, sewing clothes for herself and her daughters, making curtains and tablecloths for her home, crocheting, embroidery, going to movies, bowling, playing the piano, singing and playing bingo. Her greatest enjoyment came from spending time with her family. She loved to visit with friends and family and was willing to travel to see them. One of her most memorable trips was to Honolulu, Hawaii, with her daughter, Martha, where they celebrated Bettie’s 84th birthday.
Bettie is survived by her daughter, Martha Lea Eiken (husband, Donald “Don” Eiken), of Carthage, Mo.; son-in-law – Ronald “Ron” Beecham of Columbus,; granddaughters, Barbara Jean Patchin of Carthage, Mo. and Crystal Beal (husband, Robert), of Ladonia, Texas; grandson, Jeffrey Scott Tilton (wife, Pornthip), of Bangkok, Thailand; great-grandson, Darren Beal of Ladonia, Texas; great-granddaughters, Bonnie Patchin and Avalon Patchin of both of Carthage, Mo. and Megan Bellamy (husband, Jerem), of Commerce, Texas; great-greatgrandsons, Hendrix and Zepplin Bellamy both of Commerce, Texas. Two sisters, Bertie Davis of Chetopa and Robina Garrett (husband, Ivan Wayne “Butch” Garrett), of Welch, Okla.; sister-in-law, Betty June Draeger of Kalispell, Montana along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 21, at the First Christian Church in Chetopa. Burial will follow at the Greenlawn Cemetery in rural Columbus. The family will receive friends from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa.
Memorials are suggested to the First Christian Church of Chetopa. These may be left at or mailed to the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS 67336.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.