Betty Smith

Services for Betty Smith, 94, of Bussey, will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 11:00
a.m. at the Independent Bible Church in Bussey. Visitation will be held prior to the
service, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow at Liberty Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Liberty Cemetery or the Independent Bible
Church of Bussey.
Betty was born on April 2, 1932, in Knoxville, Iowa, to George and Electa (Hulgan)
Stephens Sr. She was the youngest of nine children and was raised on farms near
Bussey, where she learned early on the value of hard work, faith, and family. On August
26, 1949, she married the love of her life, Bobbie “Bob” James Smith. Together they
built a life centered on love and were blessed with three daughters: Sherlyn, Sandra
and Sheila.
Family was truly the heart of everything Betty did. She never missed a chance to bring
everyone together, whether it was for holidays, reunions, or just an ordinary day that
she made special. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her greatest joy, and
she made each of them feel deeply loved. You could often find a card game in progress
at her table, filled with laughter and a little friendly competition.
She had a gift for making a house feel like home. Through her sewing, quilting, and the
clothes she lovingly made, she cared for her family in ways both big and small. Her
kitchen was a place of comfort and tradition—her apple dumplings and pies were
favorites that will never be forgotten, and her suet pudding, well… that was memorable
in its own way. She also found peace and pride in working in her yard, tending her
garden, and canning the fruits of her labor.
Betty passed away on April 23, 2026, surrounded by her family at Monroe County
Hospital, just as she would have wanted. She was preceded in death by her husband,
Bob, in 2015; her daughter, Sandra Nicholson, in 2022; her parents, George and Electa
Stephens; and her siblings: Dorothy (Bernard) Randol, Fonda Stephens, Maxine (Dick)
Roper, Vera (Orlie) Flanders, Hazel (Arno) Edler, George (Faith) Stephens Jr., John
(Phyllis) Stephens, and Joan (Clyde) Jones.
She leaves behind a family who will carry her love with them always: her daughters,
Sherlyn Silvers and Sheila (Chuck) Wilcutt; her son-in-law, Art Nicholson; her
grandchildren, Abby Mockenhaupt (Jason Daughenbaugh) and Toby (Melissa)
Nicholson; and her great-grandchildren, Logan Nicholson, Loran Nicholson, Ali (David)
Ortiz, Ami Mockenhaupt, and Jax Mockenhaupt, along with many nieces, nephews, and
dear friends.
We will miss her more than words can say, but we are grateful for every lesson, every
meal, every laugh, and every moment we were blessed to share with her.