Betty’s life began on February 10, 1929 in Salina, KS. She is the daughter of Thomas B. and Margaret T. (Miller) Anderson. Betty is a 1947 graduate of Salina High School. She was united in marriage to Eugene “Gene” E. Carlson on July 3, 1960. Betty has been involved in serving others with love, care and comfort as a funeral director since 1960, when she and Gene operated their funeral home in Solomon, KS. The Carlson’s moved to El Dorado in 1974 when they purchased the Dietz Funeral Home and renamed the business Carlson Colonial Funeral Home. Betty has remained, up to her last day, involved in the funeral home with her love for each family served and each person that walked through the door. To say she was active in her community is an understatement. Betty had been a board member of the Salvation Army, Chamber of Commerce, Meals on Wheels, Coutts Museum of Art, Sawyer Homes, the National Funeral Directors Association, the Kansas Funeral Directors Association, El Dorado Business and Professional Women, El Dorado A.B.W.A., E.M.B. Club, Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital and Auxiliary, El Dorado Knife and Fork Club, Clover Kids Judge at the Butler County Fair, Soroptimist International, El Dorado Community Concerts, Butler Community College Boosters Club, Friends of the Bradford Library, Fraternity Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, Andrina Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, Rebekah Lodge, Social Order of the Beauceants, Great Plains Packard Club, Fox Lake Club, and the Walnut River Festival. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where she had served as a deacon, trustee and elder. Betty was the recipient of the Erma B. White Distinguished Service Award the Chamber Good Neighbor Award in recognition of her selfless work. When she did have free time, which was not often, Betty loved walking her beloved dogs, picking up a new book to read in Wichita and keeping up with her family and friends activities. Even in her very few weeks of decline, she wanted to know how everyone was, showed amazing concern for her caregivers and family and did not want a fuss made over her. Betty was immensely proud of her loving family which includes her children Richard (Esther) Carlson of Solomon, Randy (Rose) Carlson of Solomon, Mike (Helen) Carlson of Manhattan, and Linda (Alan) Peterson of El Dorado; 13 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren and many dear friends. Betty passed away surrounded by love and family on May 26, 2019 at Homestead of El Dorado. She is preceded in death by her parents, beloved husband Gene in 1993, her first husband Thomas Herrington in 1957, her sister and brother in law Nancy Robert Hassebroek, niece Janet Kincaid, great niece Laney Doder and daughter in law Linda Carlson. Her family will gather with friends on Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Carlson Colonial Funeral Home. Betty’s funeral service will be held on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the First Christian Church, El Dorado led by Pastor Stan Seymour. She will be laid to rest in Gypsum, Kansas at 4 p.m. on Thursday. Memorial contributions in Betty’s name may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church or the First Christian Church. Please share a memory and how Betty touched your life at www.carlsoncolonial.com.
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