Betty Joan Bailey Firestone, age 87, of Kearney, Missouri, formerly of
Colby, Kansas, passed away Sunday, July 25, 2021, at Oak Pointe Senior
Living.
Betty was born January 10th, 1934, in Iowa City, Iowa, and grew up in
Marshalltown, Iowa, Harrisonville, Missouri, and Butler, Missouri. She
attended college at Central Missouri State from 1952-1954 before moving
to Kansas City, Missouri where she worked at Katy Drug Store. She then
attended St. Luke’s School of Nursing from 1955 to 1956.
Betty was united in marriage to Jim Firestone in March of 1956, in Butler, Missouri.
In 1957, the couple moved to Kansas City where Betty worked at Hallmark
Cards. Jim and Betty moved to Sedalia, Missouri, before finally settling
in Colby, Kansas, in September of 1966, where they made their home and
raised their family for the next forty plus years.
In Colby, Betty worked for Montgomery Wards, J.C. Penney’s, Colby Bowl
and spent ten years at Palace Drug Store. During their time in Colby,
Jim and Betty owned and operated the Coast to Coast Hardware store in
downtown, where they proudly served their community.
Betty attended the First Presbyterian Church in Colby. Betty and Jim
were huge supporters of the Colby Community College Women’s basketball
program, Colby High School sports, and the St. Louis Cardinals. She
volunteered as a Pink Lady at Citizen’s Medical Center and assisted in
numerous community events and fundraisers.
Betty enjoyed cooking, reading, listening to music, watching all kinds
of sports and spending time with family, especially her grandchildren.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Jim Firestone. She is
survived by her children, Lealand (Crystal) Firestone, of Wichita, Lisa
(Bob) Brown, of Kearney, Missouri, and Lorie (Sal Montalto) Firestone,
of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren, Jory (Katie) Firestone, of
Alexandria, Virginia, Talia (Jonathan) Patterson, of Wichita, Kansas,
Bailey (Scott) McCoy, of Smithville, Missouri, and Camille (Devon)
Kennard, of Phoenix, Arizona, and eight great grandchildren.
A Funeral Service will take place at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021,
at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby, with burial in Beulah Cemetery, Colby. In
lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions in Betty’s name to
the Colby Community College Endowment Foundation, 1255 S. Range, Colby,
KS 67701, for the women’s basketball program. For information or
condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com