Betsy Petersen, 64, died Friday, August 27, 2021, at the University of
Kansas, St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, Kansas. She was born August 3,
1957, in Garden City, Kansas the daughter of Richard E. “Gene” and Kay M.
(Hunt) Thompson.
Betsy has lived most of her life in Garden City. She attended
Garden City schools and graduated from Garden City High School in 1975.
Betsy later attended and graduated from Garden City Community College
before earning a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Education
from Fort Hays State University. Betsy started her teaching career in
1996 at Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center, teaching 5th and 6th
grade. Betsy and her husband Drew later started Graph Ink which they
currently own and operate. Betsy retired from teaching in 2019.
Shortly after her retirement, Betsy and Drew moved to Abilene, Kansas
and have lived in Abilene since.
Betsy is a member of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Abilene, Kansas,
St. Dominic Catholic Church in Garden City, ESA, and she served as a
Girl Scout Leader at St. Dominic’s for 11 years.
On May 23, 1975, she married Drew Petersen in Garden City. He
survives. Other survivors include four children Addie (Spencer) Taylor
of Lenexa, Kansas, Brooke (Joseph) Humphreys of Garden City, Kansas,
Caitlin (Michael) LaMarr of Topeka, Kansas, and Soren (Kaytie) Petersen
of Gardner, Kansas; three sisters Keianna Thompson of Allen, Kansas,
Nancy Winsky of Admire, Kansas, and Charolette Lowder of Miller, Kansas;
and 8 Grandchildren Jordan Humphreys, Koston Humphreys, Drew Humphreys,
Jaqueline LaMarr, Lily LaMarr, Eleanor LaMarr, Harrison Petersen, &
Madelynn Petersen. Betsy is preceded in death by her parents and a
Granddaughter Annie Lenore Taylor.
A Rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 1, 2021
at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Garden City. Funeral Mass will be
held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 2, 2021 also at St. Dominic
Catholic Church with Rev. Warren Stecklein as Celebrant. The Funeral
Mass may also be viewed on Facebook Live on the Garnand Funeral Home
Facebook Page. A private family interment will take place at a later
date. Visitation will be held from Noon to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday at
Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City and the family will be at the
funeral home to visit with friends. In lieu of flowers, the family
request memorials given to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in
care of the funeral home.