Betty Lou (Weaver) Lance died July 28, 2026, at her home in Independence, Missouri.  She was 97.  

The eldest daughter of Thomas Edison and Flossie Bell (Nichols) Weaver.  She was born August 20, 1928, in Neodesha, KS.  She grew up in Neodesha and graduated from Neodesha High School in 1946.  Following graduation, she was employed at McGuire's Grocery. 

One June 19, 1948, she married Earl Richard Lance in Bentonville, AR.   They were married for fifty-seven years until Earl died in 2005.   Together, they had four children.  After a brief period living in Colorado and Fredonia, KS, they made their home in Neodesha, where they lived until moving to Independence, MO in 1970.  Working in a shoe store in Independence, Betty became the store manager.

Betty was always involved in her children's activities.  Most years, she was a room mother for one of her children's grade school classes.  She always helped out with the Church's Vacation Bible School.  Betty was a Troop Leader for the Brownie Scouts and assisted with the Girl Scouts.

Betty was a fantastic cook.  She enjoyed needlework and created many beautiful items.  She would hand-make her children's Halloween costumes, which frequently won the costume contest.  Working hard in her flower gardens, she always grew beautiful flowers that attracted a great variety of her beloved butterflies.

Betty was the kindest and most caring person you could meet.  She would always feed the hoboes that traveled on freight trains that passed behind her home, never turning away a hungry person.

Preceding her in death were her husband and parents; four brothers, Tommy, Benjamin, William, and Jack; six sisters, Viola Hunt, Jean Lance, Susan Romig, Florence Bressie, Dixie Weaver, and Linda Weaver.

Survivors include a daughter, Diana Hutchison of Garden Plain, KS; three sons, Mike Lance and Richard Lance both of Independence, MO, and Ryan Lance of Prairie Village, KS; three grandchildren, Garren Hutchison of Andover, KS, Jeremy and Jason Lance both of Independence, MO; and four great-grandchildren, Sean Hutchison of Augusta, KS, Ashley Hutchison of Apollo Beach, FL, Kylie Hutchison of Andover, KS, Gareth Hutchison of Augusta, KS; and a great-great-grandson, Kobe Hutchison of Andover, KS and a great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth Hutchison of Augusta, KS.

Funeral services will be held at 1pm on August 5th at the Church of the Nazarene in Neodesha, KS, with Reverend Reed officiating.  A visitation will be held prior to services at 11am.  Burial will be in the Neodesha Cemetery under the direction of Loran Fawcett Funeral Home of Neodesha.