Betty Mae (Elizabeth) Jones Feusner 87 of Ogallala, died in her home on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 after a lengthy illness. Betty was born February 3, 1931 on a family (VanDyke) farm near St Francis, Kansas, the second of 6 children. Her parents, Earl Francis and Edna (Johnson) Jones were both from large farm families near Huntley, Nebraska.
The Feusner family farmed nearby. The dustbowl 30s were a tough time for the Jones family and Betty never got over the time she and her siblings spent in Christian Homes in Holdrege. Betty loved her time on the tractor and never took to housework.
She loved Wes Feusner more and married him at age 15; Wes was 19. Their early years of marriage were spent working on ranches (Orr and Berry) near Ogallala. Their oldest child, Joan, spent her first three years on the Jones farm with the maternal grandparents.
Second child, Wes Allen, was born in Holdrege. The early 50s found many Nebraskans moving to Colorado. Earl and Edna Jones moved to the Golden area; Wes and Betty followed.
Wes dreamed of becoming a saddle maker and apprenticed at Heiser – Keyston Saddlery in Denver on Cherry Creek. Joan remembers living in a two room chicken house with a cold water hand pump and no indoor plumbing. Wes shod horses and took up calf roping.
They developed many life time friends. Rick and Robin were born in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Money and horses became more plentiful when Wes was hired as saddle maker at Roy D. Barnes Race and Rodeo Supply in Denver.
It was enchanting time as many top rodeo hands, cowboy movie stars, ranch and race horse owners frequented the National Western Stock Show and ordered saddles at the store. Betty cherished her autograph by Audie Murphy. Wes entered many local ropings.
Betty waitressed and the kids all had ponies. Late 50s, the Feusner family moved to Ogallala. Wes and Betty started the successful Sandhills Saddlery, thanks to a financial boost from local rancher friends.
Betty got her first real home on West 6th street. She did bookkeeping for the saddle shop, bowled, gardened, read, embroidered, fished, sewed and ironed tirelessly. The four Feusner kids showed horses and rodeoed.
Betty was a supportive horse show and rodeo mom; she made dozens of beautiful, western shirts with snaps. She hauled kids and their horses around Nebraska, providing lunches and camping out. When Wes and Betty built their new home and saddle shop at the top of “H” street, she opened the Rock Hill Ceramic shop.
Betty worked as a timer at numerous horse shows and ropings. Wes bought her a pontoon boat and Betty hosted many fishing weekends at Lake McConaughy. Betty and Wes often entertained card parties at their home.
Wes’s unexpected death at Christmas 1982 changed everything. Betty never remarried. She spent ten winters in Apache Junction, Arizona with her sisters.
Betty died at home where she wanted to be. Her children Rick and Joan Feusner were with her. Betty was preceded in death, by her husband, Wes, son Wes Allen, a sister Mary Schroder, her parents, several brothers and sisters in law and numerous cousins.
Survivors include her children Joan, Rick and Robin; sisters LuEtta Berry, Karen Leake, Phyllis Ferguson and a brother Earl “Bud” Jones, nine grandhchildren and 15 great grandchildren, one great great grand son; also great aunt Donna Johnson Noble and sister in law, Gloria Feusner. Betty has had loyal friends whom she loved and emotionally supported and they returned the favor. Patty Kintz, Joan McBride Heideman, Opal Fiscus, Clytie Fenwick, Dorothy son, and Dotsie Buss.
Betty chose cremation and a private family internment will be in the Ogallala Cemetery at a later date. Online condolences can be given by signing the Guest Book. Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala is assisting the Feusner Family.
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