Betty Willis

(From Carson-Wall Funeral Home)

Betty L. Willis, 91, lifelong Parsons resident, died at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 15, 2024 at the Parsons Presbyterian Manor.

She was born January 1, 1933, in Parsons, to Raymond Legro and Lizzie (Mason) Bennett. She attended Parsons schools.

On August 4, 1950 she and Joe Reed Willis were married in Bentonville, AR. In her early years Betty worked at EFD Freight and Day and Zimmerman.







In 1974 she opened her own restaurant “Betty’s Drive-In” where she and her family would cook and serve some of the best food in Parsons. After selling the restaurant, she worked at IMI Business Forms where she retired in 1982. While working at IMI Business Forms Betty met several lifelong friends who would always pull pranks and shenanigans on each other and continued to get together up until her death. Because she missed the people of Parsons she opened “Betty Lou’s Liquor”, although the business was sold she worked as a cashier until she was 82 years old.

Betty loved life and injected happiness into all who surrounded her. She traveled with her family and was always up for an adventure. She always found herself in the middle of excitement, or more accurately, excitement poured out of her. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother. Betty could be known to outwork everyone around her and was still push-mowing her lawn at 90 years old. She nurtured many things, including her family, friendships and flowers. She loved puzzles and going to the casino in later years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Reed Willis, on May 26, 1994, two brothers, Clarence Bennett and Earl Bennett, a son, James “Jim” Martin Willis, two sons-in-law, George “Ed” Dhooghe and Wayne Ellis and a grandson, David Ellis.

She is survived by six children, Steve Willis (Ginger), Marcia Ellis, Celiece Dhooghe, all of Parsons, Tina Arb (Rocky) of Altamont, Diane Johnson of Webb City and Lynn Myers (Brad) of Afton, OK; daughter-in-law , Mary Willis of Parsons; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, and a wonderful neighbor and friend, Sheila Moreno.

The funeral service will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, with Nathan Carson officiating.

Memorials are suggested to Operation Bright Touch. They may be left at or sent to the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, P. O. Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357. Online messages may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.