Betty Ruth Norman Melgren
July 26, 1931 – Sept. 4, 2020
WICHITA — Betty Ruth Norman Melgren died Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, at Wichita. She was 89.
She was born July 26, 1931, in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of Justin and Elsie Norman. She was the second of three girls and grew up close to her sisters, Janet and Arlene.
After high school, Betty attended North Park College, graduating with an associate’s degree in Christian education. There she met her husband, Homer Melgren.
She married Homer Melgren, Aug. 15, 1953, in Chicago, Ill. He preceded her in death.
After Homer finished seminary, they moved to Seattle to pastor Lake City Covenant Church. In 1959, they felt God calling them to missions and moved back to Chicago to prepare for their next steps. Two years later, they left for Taiwan. While living in Taiwan for 12 years, Betty worked alongside her husband learning to speak Mandarin, planting Covenant churches, organizing drive-way Sunday school and forming community with local families, all while raising her five children.
In 1973, they moved to Homer’s family farm near Osage City. Back in Kansas, Betty worked as a bookkeeper and later started and directed Sunshine Daycare, in Osage City. Betty has always been an active member in her church and community.
She was heavily involved in the Stotler/Community Covenant Church, in Osage City, where she helped lead youth group and started a women’s Bible study who met in her home weekly for 25 years, up until this summer. She was a member of the Osage City Marshall Club.
She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Betty was committed to her faith and her family. She was an inspiration and an example of humility and compassion to all who knew her. She will always be remembered for her kindness, hospitality, generosity and love for the Lord.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and an older sister, Janet.
She is survived by a sister, Arlene Norman; five children, Richard and Susanne Melgren, Daniel and Kaye Melgren, Steven and Linda Melgren, Nancy and Layne Reusser and Jim and Glenda Melgren, 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at Rapp Cemetery, West of Osage City.
Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant World Missions and Community Covenant Church youth ministries, 334 N. Topeka Ave., Osage City, KS 66523.
Condolences may be expressed at vanarsdalefs.com.
