Betty Trail

Betty E. (Samson) Trail, 91, of Atwood, died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018, at North Platte Regional Health Center, North Platte, NE. She was born Jun. 24, 1927, in the Ludell Township, KS, the oldest of three children, to Alfred and Pearl (Dostal) Samson. Betty married Floyd E. Trail on June 12, 1961. She was a loving and devoted wife and mother to Floyd and their son Doug. Betty worked as a bookkeeper until the birth of Doug after which she became a stay at home mother. She became a closet Trekkie while watching the original Star Trek series with Doug. She received her first catcher’s mitt as a Mother’s Day gift from Doug. She enjoyed being Doug’s catcher as he practiced pitching (until he could throw hard enough to knock her over). When Doug entered Junior High, Betty went back to work as a bookkeeper until she retired. After Floyd’s retirement, the couple spent time traveling together in their camper. Frequent trips to Iowa to spend time with their son Doug, his wife Kathy, and their grandchildren Stephanie, Samantha, and Sarah were her favorite journeys. Another memorable trip was to Alaska with her brother Joe and his wife Jill.

Betty was a member of the First Christian Church of Atwood and served several years as the bookkeeper for the church and was a Sunday school teacher.

Betty loved spending time with her family, especially her granddaughters and her great-grandson. Some of her favorite memories were of playing school with her granddaughters at their home in Iowa. She passed on her love of animals, especially chickens and kittens, to her granddaughters and her fear of snakes to her son.

Betty was preceded in death by her sister Dorothy; parents, Allie and Pearl; sister-in-law Jill Samson (Joe); brother-in-law Earl Niermeier (Dorothy) and husband Floyd.

She is survived by her son, Doug (Kathy) Trail, Johnston, IA; brother, Joe (Mary Hurtt), Ludell; three grandchildren, Stephanie (Troy) Cheek, New Virginia, IA, Samantha (Grant) Eckard, San Diego, CA and Sarah Trail, Johnston, IA; a great-grandson, Troy James Cheek, and a great-granddaughter due this Oct. and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be 10 a.m., Saturday, September 1, 2018, at the First Christian Church, Atwood. Following the service both Betty and Floyd will be inurned at Rosehill Cemetery near Ludell. Memorials are suggested to the Good Samaritan Center, Atwood or First Christian Church of Atwood, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information and condolences, please visit www.baalmannmortuary.com.