Betty has been crocheting since she was very young and has gifted her family members with an assortment of beautifully made items, including scarves (she’s pictured crocheting one) and booties/slippers (pictured below).

Betty (Smith) Lane’s senior picture from Tarkio.

Betty was named Community Hospital-Fairfax Auxilian of the Year in 2017.

Betty was a finalist in the Missouri Ms. Nursing Home Pageant in 2020.

Betty (Smith) Lane was born July 20, 1927, to Harry Hamilton Smith and Maude Iva Smith at home on the ranch outside of Fairfax, Missouri.

Life was tough growing up, but Betty was an only child cherished by her mother, who worked hard to provide for Betty. Maude taught Betty how to crochet and play the organ. Betty’s crocheting skills developed into making slippers and scarves, booties, coasters, magnets, cards, and an assortment of other items that she’s gifted her family members over the years. She also went on to play the organ for her church.

Betty fondly remembers making candy and fudge as a child. She said she made her first batch of fudge at age five with her aunt and the baking continued for the rest of her life. Desserts were not something you just went out and bought back then, so the only time there was candy or fudge in the house growing up was when she made it.

Maude’s hard work in raising Betty paid off in other ways as well. Betty graduated from high school and went on to night school to become a bookkeeper. Betty also worked at the Tumble Inn as a waitress. Her bookkeeping skills lasted a lifetime and came in handy when she and her husband, Dean Lane, moved to New Mexico and ran a hotel. Back in Atchison County, Betty stayed active in her church and Bible study groups, visiting with neighbors and friends, was a member of the Morning Sun Friendship Club, and was a member of the Community Hospital-Fairfax Auxiliary, helping to run the hospital gift shop (she was named Auxilian of the Year in 2017).

Betty had three children with her first husband, Dallas Carlisle. She had twins, Shari and Terry, and daughter, Cyndy. The three girls and their mother were close. Memories written down by Cyndy for Betty’s 80th birthday party mentioned fun times of eating popcorn at 8:00 p.m. and watching “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Petticoat Junction,” and “Gilligan’s Island.” Betty read “Heidi” to Cyndy every night when she was little and as the girls grew, they enjoyed playing rummy, checkers, and marbles with their mom. Later in life, Betty would have morning coffee dates with her daughters and always kept in touch with them over the phone. Betty and Dean had a house at Big Lake and the family would gather there for Easter celebrations, reunions, swimming, paddle boating, and moped rides. Sadly, the house was destroyed by the flood in 1993 and Betty lost many precious memories, including family photos. Some of those photos were of the front lines of WWII taken by her late first husband.

Betty will be turning 97 this year and has many wonderful memories with her grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. She still enjoys dressing up in necklaces and earrings, laughing, smiling, and cracking jokes, crocheting, and just enjoying life. She has bird feeders outside her window and gets to watch them as she reminisces about pet parakeets that she had for years (she laughed remembering how they learned how to talk and sometimes repeated the cuss words spoke by Dean). Betty attributes her longevity to always working hard, but still getting out there and having fun, and chocolate. “You can never have too much chocolate,” she said. Betty’s great-granddaughter Jennifer Roup remarked that when Betty moved to the nursing home, the family discovered Swiss rolls and Ferrero Rocher chocolates stuffed in bags hanging from the walker, weighing it down. A lot of people do not make it to their late 90s and most who do are not as lively as Betty. She is always one who takes part in the nursing home activities and enjoys visiting with everyone. Betty was even a Missouri Ms. Nursing Home Pageant finalist. She’s one of Atchison County’s rays of sunshine spreading joy and light wherever she goes.