BETTY JEAN GIDEON

LAMAR- Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lamar United Methodist Church in Lamar for Betty Jean Gideon, 94, Lamar, who died Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, at Good Shepherd Community Care and Rehabilitation in Lockwood, following a wonderful life. Burial will be at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Golden City.

Visitation will be held prior to the service, beginning at 10 a.m., at the church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Daniel Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made payable to Lamar United Methodist Church or Gideon's International in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be shared at www.dfhlamar.com.

Survivors include, son and daughter-in-law, Dr. David and Dr. Kathleen Gideon, Atlantic Beach, Fla. and also of Mt. Vernon, Maine; daughter, Connie Gideon-Zimmerman, Springfield; granddaughter, Jessica Zimmerman-Selvidge and husband Bryan Selvidge, Springfield; step-grandchildren, Carla Stanton and husband Richard, Webb City and Carl Zimmerman, Decatur, Ill.; great-grandchildren, Drew Zimmerman, Andi Stanton, Cody Zimmerman, Raven Freligh, Brooke Zimmerman and great great great-grandson, Avery Zimmerman; niece, Karel Hippert and husband Bill; half-siblings, Cora Lee Yeager and Evan McBride. Chosen family, DD and Lois Duncan, Carol Buffington and Cathy Rogers. She cared deeply for the Boyd, McBride, Landis and Zimmerman families. She will be missed by all who were blessed to call her friend.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Estel; sister, JoAnn Mayhugh, son-in-law, Ralph Zimmerman and half-sibling, Sue Landis.

Mrs. Gideon was born Aug. 7, 1928, to Clifford and Zeta Jo (Boyd) McBride. She married Estel H. Gideon on Jan. 28, 1948, in Lamar. They celebrated 62 years of loving friendship and marriage.

Mrs. Gideon graduated from Lockwood High School in 1946. She worked as a domestic and international telephone operator and at Thieman Grocery Store during WWII. She worked at Jim Rogers Flies and Lures. She then graduated from Franklin Community College with a degree in nursing. She was on staff at Barton County Memorial Hospital until retirement.

She loved her hometown of Lamar; always reaching out to her community and church family and guided by this value to actively work to love and help others, especially the children. Her life reflected this focus; she served as the director of the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Program and Tiger Swim Team coach (18+ years), LUMC Board of Directors, United Methodist Women, Sunday school teacher, Gideon's International, Barton County Historical Society, the Rebekah Lodge, Barton County Republican Woman's Club, Meals on Wheels volunteer, Ladies Red Hat coordinator, Senior Center supporter, J.O.Y. Fellowship, Fidelis Sunday school class and managing the century plus old Gideon Farm.

Her interests included sewing, patio gardening, art and music appreciation, the Stones Throw Theater, bird watching, fishing, Bible study, country cooking, golf, the Lamar football Tigers and the Kansas City Chiefs. She was a loyal partner to her sweet cat, Cali Jo, her lead caregiver.