Betty Mae Johnson, the daughter of Bert Leroy and Erma Irene (Barrell) LaFollette, was born June 4, 1932, in Centerville, IA. Betty died September 7, 2024, at Guthrie Center, IA, at the age of 92 years, 3 months, and 3 days.
Betty married Billy in 1948 and moved to Des Moines after the wedding. They lived there until 1952 when Billy was transferred to the new Iowa Power and Light Plant in Council Bluffs. While living there, Betty was active in church chairing many committees, was Lewis Central PTA President, on city PTA Council, and a member of The Iowa State PTA Board of Regents for two years. They moved to Griswold in 1972.
Betty sold Wausau Homes, started a PTA, opened the Casey’s Store as a manager, owned and operated a flower shop, managed the floral department at Northwest Fabrics, helped set up a Dillard’s Department in Council Bluffs, then became the bridal consultant. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s, Betty recruited contestants for the Miss Nishna Valley Pageant which was a preliminary to Miss Iowa – Miss America. Griswold had two Miss Iowa Pageants in five years and Betty was chaperon both times. Betty also judged pageants in other Iowa counties. In 1994, Betty opened The Doll House. In 1996, when the Mormons were reenacting 150 years of the Mormon Trail, she thought a doll named after a girl that made the journey in 1846, along with a book to tell her story, was a good idea. It was. Betty and the doll were the subject of a story on NBC Today. Many books and magazines featured her and the dolls. She created dolls that were named after 14 people that took the trails west. Betty then created one doll to represent each state that the original wagon train traveled through on the merchandise wagon to Utah. She then donated each doll to a museum in said state. Betty also commemorated the 1849 Gold Rush, Underground Railroad, Orphan Train, Lewis & Clark, and Oregon Trail with a doll. While doing all this, Betty organized the Dixie Hens which was a senior line dance group. She and Billy were instrumental in helping Father Wingert establish Wakonda Prayer House. Betty served on the board until 1999 when Father Wingert passed away.
Betty is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Billy Hugh in 2009, her daughter Joy Lou in 1978 and her son Mark Eugene in 2010.
Betty is survived by her grandson Markus; two great grandchildren; her nieces Barb Hitt and Sue McNutly; and many cousins.
In lieu of flowers, Betty asks for donations be given to Our Lady Of Grace church for a stain glass window.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 13, 2024, at 11:00 AM, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Griswold, IA. Visitation with the family will take place at the church one hour prior to the Funeral Mass. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Lewis, IA. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family with arrangements.
