Betty Nadine (Simmelink) Schoen, age 99 years, 8 months, and 15 days, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at Downs Care and Rehabilitation. Betty was born February 5, 1921, to George and Anna (Kuiken) Simmelink on a farm near Oak Creek School North of Downs.
Betty moved to a farm 9 miles North of Downs as a small child. She graduated from Oak Creek Grade School. On March 12, 1941, she married Meryl Emil Schoen of rural Cawker City. They celebrated 72 years of marriage. To this union Meryl and Betty were blessed with four surviving children. Meryl and Betty farmed in the Cawker City area until they retired off the farm in 1978. Upon retiring they moved to Downs. Betty was a member of the Irving Community Club and Red Hat Ladies Group. She was an active, life long member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Downs. She was baptized and confirmed on May 30, 1937. She was also an active member of the Ladies Aid at the church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant daughter, her husband Meryl, sister Beverly Remus and grandson Kent Cordwell.
Survivors include children; Sheryl (Richard) Cordwell, Berryton, KS, Dennis (Brenda) Schoen Warsaw, MO, Bruce (Debbie) Schoen, Downs, KS, and Janet (Kyle) Tjelmeland, Pagosa Springs, CO. Ten grandchildren; Kim Bradford (fiancé Doug Klise) Berryton, Julie (Tom) Brush, Downs, Jeremy (Megan) Schoen, Olathe, Brady (Megan) Schoen, Downs, Barry (Sylvia) Schoen, Beloit, Brent (Kerry) Schoen, Downs, Keaton (Shayleen) Tjelmeland, Pagosa Springs, CO, Chase (Kelsie) Tjelmeland, Ovderland Park, Miranda Tjelmeland (fiancé Will Mevis) Pagosa Springs, CO, and Courtney (Derek) Pearson, Concordia. Twenty-six great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2-6 p.m. with family receiving friends from 5-6 p.m. on Friday October 23rd at the Zion Lutheran Church, Downs. Funeral services will be Saturday, October 24th at 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow the service at South Oak Creek Cemetery, North of Downs. Masks and social distancing are encouraged. The service will be live streamed on the Zion Lutheran Church Facebook page for those unable to attend. Memorials may be made to Zion Lutheran Church and Downs Memorial Park.