Betty L. Bolton Bengston

Betty Bolton Bengston, 88, the daughter of Sheldon and Glesner Bergstrand Bolton, was born on January 3, 1937, in Kirby, Oregon. She passed away peacefully on Friday, September 26, 2025. She graduated from Windom High School in 1955. While in high school, she started singing in a girl’s quartet that started her love of music and piano. Her other love was soon to be husband Virgul who wrote in her yearbook, “Best wishes to a swell girl and girlfriend.”

That following year, Betty was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart at Andover Lutheran Church, Windom. They established a home in McPherson and then later would move to a small farm outside of Groveland. This union was blessed with three children, Pamela, Connie, and Kevin.

After her children became school age, Betty attended some business classes and started working at Farmland Industries, McPherson. In 1979, Betty decided to move to Wichita and restart her life. She worked for Boeing Aircraft until she retired.

She was a devoted Christian and found a new church life at Central Community Church. She attended every Sunday and became very involved in their Sunday School and met many new friends.

Betty enjoyed all the various organizations and events that were available in the “big city.” She became an avid shopper and loved buying beautiful clothes and decorating her home. When she bought her first home there, she loved flowers so much that she planted her whole backyard with flowers and shrubs.

When her grandchildren started being born after her move, she came back to Inman to as many events as she could. She loved watching them in their school music programs or playing sports. She enjoyed having them over for the weekends and spoiling them in Wichita.

Betty loved to travel and went on bus tours and cruises to visit 7 countries. One of her most treasured trips was traveling to Hawaii with her mom. While there, they got to be a part of her niece’s wedding.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; four siblings; Arnold Bolton, Norman Bolton, Delores Hedrich; and Louise “Dot” Sills; and a daughter in law, Kim Bengston.

She is survived by her three children; Pam (Darrel) Thiessen, Connie (Scott) Achilles, and Kevin (Mary Sneath) Bengston, all of Inman; 6 grandchildren, Andrea (Darren) Johnson, Mandy (Adam) Swisher, Sam (Lauren) Thiessen, Travis (Jill) Achilles, Cloe (Ross) Kronke, and Brylie (Chris) Ryan; 15 great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; other relatives; and a host of friends.

A private burial has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, October 4, 2025, at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ Fellowship Hall, Inman. In lieu of flowers, her wish was for memorial contributions to be made to Botanical Gardens, Wichita, in care of Inman Funeral Home; PO Box 490, Inman, KS 67546. To leave a condolence for the family, visit: www.inmanfh.com.