Betty Jane Coleman

Betty Jane Davis was born April 24, 1927 to Ruby Lorene and Charlie Burton Davis. By the time that Betty was around 3 years old, she had lost a baby sister Phyllis Marie in infancy, and her mother in a car accident. Little Betty lived most of her young life with her paternal Grandparents, Charlie and Eva Davis, up the road from Squirrel Hollow State Park. She attended country school and school in Rippey. When Betty was just 18 she was with her dad at the Bally Hoo in Perry, IA, where she met her husband to be, a young soldier by the name of Ross Coleman. They were united in marriage on November 15th, 1945. They had five children. Danny and Nancy came along first; guess they were the trial run. Then almost 8 years later came along Dale, Patricia and finally Sandra. Betty worked as a house wife and when the kids got older she delivered the newspaper, which she roped the younger kids into helping with. She also worked at Franklins factory in Jefferson, walked beans, sorted corn at Turners, was a care giver after the kids were grown, and she took care of some interesting older people. She liked to garden, raise collies and shelties, raised chickens for the eggs, raised rabbits, and birds. She loved flowers. She was a very hard working woman, did a lot of things that weren't expected, and enjoyed her neighbors and friends. Story Time: Betty had 3 momma dogs that had puppies and told the kids (okay the younger kids) to leave the pups with the momma dogs, because she didn't want them to get mixed up. Well when her and dad left, of course temptation got the better of us and we brought in all the puppies and ran through the house with all of them barking and biting. What fun we had. We managed to get the pups back with all the mommas before they got back. She loved her grandchildren, but sometimes she had a firm hand, right Callie Mae? Grandma was not afraid of hard work, sometimes dragging Little Danny along to help pick up hay bales off the ground at Grandpa Jim's. Grandma, you were a strong, feisty, and bull-headed woman. You took me to the park, made me hot cocoa with coffee creamer in it, and defended me from the mean old roosters. You scolded Grandpa for giving me snake bites. We planted flowers together. We would dream about winning the lottery, moving out to the country and having lots of animals and plants. You'd joke about leaving Grandpa in town, but I know that you would have missed him and all the head rubs. You were the best Grandma. I am trying not to be sad because I know that you are in a better place. I picture you standing next to Grandpa, his arm around you. At Grandpa's funeral, you said "I can't bare to see you cry." I'm sorry Grandma that I shed some tears. I love you and I will miss you. Say "Hi" to Grandpa for me. We all have our fond memories of Betty Jane, like the time she went to get the paper in the snow without any shoes, but she had her coat on. Or the time when the family lived down by the old city dump. A beggar came to the door looking for something to eat. She gave him a place to sleep in the old shed out back and fed him. The next morning she went to check on the man, but when she got there, she found he was gone and the blankets were folded into a nice neat pile. Betty always told you what she thought and spoke her mind. There are so many things about her that we are going to miss, like asking for the "magic wand" (tv remote), and hearing her sing to her cat. Hopefully they don't have cars in heaven or they don't give Grandma her driver's license. She lived pretty much her entire 88 years without going to the doctor's and without medications. Betty always had a smile, even when she wasn't feeling good. In conclusion of a life so full of wit, humor, common sense, and wisdom (like not putting your arms out a moving car's window), enjoy life, it's not a race We're all going to get to the end eventually. Poem that Grandma had hanging in her house: Smile! The thing that goes the farthest towards making life worthwhile, That costs the least and does the most, is just a pleasant smile. The smile that bubbles from a heart that loves its fellow men, Will drive away the clouds of gloom and coax the sun again. It's full of worth and goodness, too, with genial kindness blent, it's worth a million dollars, and it doesn't cost a cent. Betty Jane Coleman, daughter of Charlie Burton Davis and Ruby Lorraine Kroninger, was born April 24, 1927 and died April 26, 2015 in her home in Grand Junction at the age of 88. Betty grew up in Perry and near Squirrel Hollow Park in Greene County and attended school in Grand Junction. Betty was united in marriage with Ross Coleman on November 15, 1945 in Adel, Iowa. Five children were conceived from this union: Dan, Nancy, Dale, Trish and Sandy. Betty enjoyed bird watching, planting and admiring flowers and puzzle solving. Betty is preceded in death by her parents, her infant sister, her husband Ross on January 30, 2004, her daughter Nancy Sloan, and her granddaughter Katherine McLey. Betty is survived by her children: Dan Coleman of Grand Junction, Dale Coleman of Boone, Trish Coleman of Jefferson, Sandy Pickett (Mick) of Boxholm, 16 grandchildren: Daniel Coleman Jr, Kim Coleman-Laws, Kimberly Sloan, Kaitie Sloan, Brandon Coleman, April Coleman, Heather Oakes, Leann Oakes, LaTisha Coleman, Tammer Bartmess, Jasper Pickett, Tyler Pickett, Kasey Pickett, Jasmin Pickett, Callie McDonough, 6 great-grandchildren: Amber Laws, Gage Laws, Garrett Laws, Destiny Lindner, McKenzie Pickett, Evony Bartmess, other relatives and many continued... 1 2 Next ...continued friends. 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