Betty Jean Barnes-Cleaver

Betty Jean Barnes Cleaver, daughter of the late Faye and Addie (Fletcher) Montgomery, was born on April 11, 1929 in Astoria, Missouri, and passed away on January 11, 2011 in the St. John’s Regional Health Center in Springfield, Missouri. She was 81 years and 9 months of age.
Betty attended school in the Mtn. Grove area and graduated from Mtn. Grove High School. She was united in marriage to Bob Barnes on October 21, 1947 at the First Baptist Church in Mtn. Grove, Missouri. One daughter was born to this union. Before Bob’s death in 1989, he remarked that he and Betty had shared a good life and that they had more happiness with their Linda and the kids than most people even dream about.
Betty was later married to Buck Cleaver on April 18, 1998. They made their home near Mtn. Grove where they enjoyed visiting with their friends and neighbors.
Betty worked as a secretary for the Union Gas Company for many years. In 1975, she was the Business and Professional Women’s Woman of the Year. Other honors she received during her lifetime include being honored as an outstanding civic leader by the Missouri Municipal League in 1979. She was the Women’s Auxiliary Community Volunteer of the Year on February 2007. Betty was also a member of the VFW, the park board, and she was a representative to the Chamber of Commerce for the Kappa Theta Club in 1980. Betty enjoyed playing bingo with her friends at the Senior Center. She was also an avid golfer.
Betty was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, neighbor and friend. She loved her family and enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She leaves behind great memories of times spent with her family, especially her grandchildren. She will be truly missed by those who knew and loved her.
Besides her parents and her first husband, she was preceded in death by one brother: Robert; and by a sister: June.
She is survived by her husband: Buck Cleaver of Mtn. Grove; her daughter and son-in-law: Linda and Gene Hayes of Springfield, Missouri; one brother: Bill Montgomery and his wife, Jan, of Strafford, Missouri; three grandchildren and their spouses: Dan and Julie Hayes, Cindy and Travis Hairston, and Carl and Susie Hayes; and eight great-grandchildren: Emma Hairston, Mason and Dalton Hayes, Aubrey Cheffey, Holly, Callie, Claire, and Sophie Hayes; nieces; nephews; and other relatives and friends.


Funeral Services:

Friday, January 14, 2011 at 2:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel

Visitation:

Thursday, January 13th from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM in the funeral home

Interment:
Hillcrest Cemetery

Memorial Contributions:

Mtn. Grove Senior Center c/o the funeral home.