Notes:

Died:
Betty Mathews Obituary
Betty Joanne Mathews, 92, of Idaho Falls, passed away Sunday, October 29, 2023, at her home. She was under the care of Hands of Hope Hospice.

Betty was born in Mulberry, Kansas on July 8, 1931, to Irvin Mische and Elton McKay Mische. She grew up in Missouri and California. Betty attended five different high schools as her father worked in construction and they moved around for work. She graduated from Nevada, Missouri High School in 1948. She received two scholarships which enabled her to go to college. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 1952 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Education.

On December 31, 1954, Betty married William Hickinbotham. They were blessed with two children, Michael, and Kelley. On February 2, 1975, she married David Lane Mathews in Anchorage, Alaska, welcoming his three children David Jr., Carol, and Charles.

Betty was well-traveled and lived in several places throughout the U.S. including Missouri, California, Alaska, Texas, Nebraska, and New Mexico. She also lived in Germany and worked for the U.S. Air Force there. An accomplished executive secretary, she worked at banks in Alaska including a stint as a personnel officer and again as secretary at well-known accounting firms in Anchorage and Midland, Texas. She was the legal secretary for a future Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. Of particular interest, she worked at Disney Studios and was a personal secretary to Walt Disney.

She served in many civic organizations including the National Secretary's Association, American Institute of Banking, Palmer Historical Society, Grange, and Palmer Senior Citizens. She also enjoyed backpacking and traveling to Hawaii, New Zealand, Europe, the U.S., and Canada. She greatly enjoyed making clothes. She loved shoes and shopping for them. She loved growing flowers and won many ribbons for them over the years at the Alaska State Fair. Betty was a tall, beautiful, intelligent woman who valued honesty and had a smile that could light up the world.

Betty is survived by her husband, David Mathews of Idaho Falls; her son, Michael Hickinbotham of Idaho Falls; her daughter, Kelley Barringer of Medford, Oregon; her stepsons: David Mathews Jr. of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Charles Mathews of Gilbert, Arizona; her stepdaughter, Carol Mathews of Colorado Springs, Colorado; ten grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Private family services will be held at a later date. Cremation is under the care of Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First Street, Idaho Falls.

Betty married William Eugene Hickinbotham on 31 Dec 1954 in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada. William was born on 14 Jul 1931 in Frazeysburg, Ohio; died on 15 Oct 1995 in Miles City, Montana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Michael Wayne Hickinbotham
2. Kelley Ann Hickinbotham

Betty married David Lane Mathews [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Irvin married Elton Cleva McKay. Elton (daughter of Edmund Reese McKay and Fannie Arminta Hamer) was born on 24 Feb 1909 in Milo, Vernon County, Missouri; died on 24 Mar 1999 in Sheldon, Vernon County, Missouri; was buried in Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Betty corrected the place of death for her mother.

Edmund married Fannie Arminta Hamer on 23 Feb 1896 in Barton County, Missouri. Fannie (daughter of Harrison Hamer and Perneety Frances McCuistion) was born on 28 Jan 1875 in Ray County, Missouri; died on 29 Jan 1964 in Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri; was buried on 1 Feb 1964 in Milo, Vernon County, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The first name Henry was provided by Melissa Ruberson.

Died:
He died at the Vilas Wilson Home on 825 N. Elm Street.

Harrison married Perneety Frances McCuistion on 20 Jan 1870 in Ray County, Missouri. Perneety (daughter of Capt. John Gwinn McCuistion and Martha Jane Lile) was born on 25 Apr 1851 in Ray County, Missouri; died on 12 Mar 1919 in Milo, Vernon County, Missouri; was buried on 13 Mar 1919 in Liberal, Barton County, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Parneety and Harrison lived on a farm just east of McCuistion Homestead, north of Iantha, Missouri. Evidence of the buildings is still apparent. (1996)

Died:
Family history says, "Perneety collected eggs and sold them for 34 cents a dozen, while traveling home she stopped to see her son Henry Cleveland in Milo, she became ill and died of bronchial pneumonia."

Buried:
Barton City Cemetery is located 6 miles north of 160 on 45, 45 is about 9 miles west of Lamar, Missouri. There isn't a town there.