Betty Brenn

Send Flowers Betty L. Brenn January 18, 1923 - December 2, 2014 Betty Lee Brenn Obituary Betty Lee Brenn was born in Colby, KS on January 18, 1923, the second child of Loyal Dale Hawk and Lois Mallory Hawk. She passed away Tuesday morning, December 2, 2014 at Citizens Medical Center at the age of 91 years and 10 months. She attended Colby Public schools, graduating from Colby High School. While attending high school she was secretary of the Student Council and became interested in government when she went to the second Sunflowers Girls State. She lettered in Band two years and competed in several piano festivals. Following graduation, she went a few months in nurses training in Denver but decided to use her secretarial skills so went to Washington, DC and worked in a typing pool. On May 31, 1943 she married her high school sweetheart, Stuart Nelson Brenn. They moved to a farm north of Levant in 1949 where Stu, as he was known, farmed and worked in construction. Betty worked as a legal secretary for Morgan Cole and spent many years in the Thomas County Courthouse working with her aunt Grace Ramey in the Treasurer’s office and in the County Clerk’s office. She was elected as County Clerk in November, 1968, holding that office until the end of 1974. She also worked in the Appraiser’s Office for several years. Betty was a lifelong member of the Colby United Methodist Church, playing the organ in her early years and holding the office of Methodist Women’s Society president. She was active in the American Legion Auxiliary becoming a lifetime member. Betty served as District President of this auxiliary spending more than 50 years working for the organization. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary was also important to her and she spent many hours selling poppies and serving up sandwiches. Her early involvement in Girls State led to the many years she served as sponsor to Girls State including the year her granddaughter Wendolyn attended Girls State from Hugoton. Eastern Star was another interest of she had and she participated in many Shrine social events with her husband. She was an avid Bingo player, belonged to a bridge group and loved to play golf. Betty, along with several friends were on a bowling team that went to the state tournament several times, the most recent one was in 2000. She loved to travel and visited 49 of the 50 states, Europe and went on a Caribbean cruise, most of it in American Legion business with her husband. They gained many friends all around the state of Kansas with their Legion involvement. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Stuart Brenn, sisters Peggy (Paul) Bedore and Shirley (Ray) Martin, brother Robert (Nadine) Hawk and infant great-grandson Alec Warren. She is survived by her son Lawrence R. (Sheryl) Brenn, Levant; grandchildren Wendolyn (Leroy) Worley, Remington, VA; Steven Brenn and Laurel Warren, Wamego, KS; grandchildren Evan and Brenn Worley, Blake and Brittah Warren.; brothers Dale Hawk, Jr., Colby and Gary (Carol) Hawk, Great Bend and sister-in-law Nadine Hawk, Colorado Springs.