Betty L. Henry

PLEASANT HILL – Betty Lee (Sarsfield) Henry, 87, passed away Thursday, June 6, 2024, after a long battle with cancer at her home in Pleasant Hill.

Betty was born October 15, 1936, on the family farm in Story County, Iowa, the only child of Arthur Leo Sarsfield and Ena Mary (Lane) Sarsfield.

In her early years Betty attended school in the one room Hickory Grove school located near the current Hickory Grove lake and park in Story County. As Betty always liked telling it in 3rd grade the country kids were shipped into Nevada, Iowa to attend school there. In High School Betty was a member of Eastern Star and participated in the marching band serving as Baton Twirler and Drum Majorette. All high school students were required to attend an assembly hall every morning. Betty was assigned to the seat next to who would become the love of her life Dick Henry. Betty graduated from Nevada High School in 1954.

In August 1954 Betty and Dick were married in Nevada, IA. They moved to Des Moines where Dick was going to school and working. Together they had three sons, Wayne, David, and Alan.

Betty was a stay-at-home mom raising her three boys that kept her very busy. Betty served as a taxi driver getting her boys and their friends to all their activities. She served as a Den Mother and on the Cub Pack committee during the time all three boys were in Cub Scouts. She supported the boys while they played Little League. She served on the board and was in charge of and ran the concession stand for many years. She tells the story of how they raised money so they could buy a popcorn machine. They didn’t have a building for a concession stand so they set the popcorn machine up on a folding table and served popcorn out in the open air. At the first game that they served popcorn an errant foul ball found its way to the concession table and shattered the glass of the brand-new popcorn machine. There is no truth to the rumor that one of her boys hit that foul ball. Betty also managed to find time to be involved in her church and served as the treasurer for many years.

Betty was involved in the Ladies Fireman’s Auxiliary that later became the Pleasant Hill Women’s League. They held various fund-raising activities, the biggest that she headed was the creation and distribution of a Pleasant Hill Telephone book every other year. The women’s league also made and delivered Christmas baskets to the elderly and served funeral dinners for many of Pleasant Hills residents that had passed away. Betty served as a poll worker and precinct chair for over 40 years retiring in 2019 just prior to the onset of the pandemic. Many people were heard to say they knew they were in the right polling place because Betty was there. Betty was drawn by Dick into other civic activities such as the Pleasant Hill Summerfest which she helped Dick organize and run for several years.
 
Once Dick moved his home building office to Pleasant Hill Betty assisted him in many aspects of running the business. In 1979 when Betty and Dick built the mini-storage and car wash and ran it and a U-Haul dealership until 2001 she was very involved in the billing and accounting aspects of those businesses.

Betty was an avid fan and supporter of both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams at Drake University. She along with Dick held season tickets for the men since the early 60’s and for the women since the 1990s. In 1969 her and Dick followed the men to the NCAA final four in Louisville, Kentucky where Drake finished 3rd in the nation.

Betty and Dick sponsored the Hawkeye Homes and ADW Hawks Men’s Fastpitch softball teams for several years.

Betty enjoyed the many numerous trips she and Dick took. But most of all she absolutely loved taking her entire family on a cruise for her and Dick’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Betty is survived by her three sons, Wayne, David (Sherri) and Alan (Peggy), 4 grandsons, Cole, Brandon (Hannah), Austin (Jordyn) and Cody (Jayme), 1 granddaughter, Amber (Aaron) Becker, 6 great-grandchildren, Treyce, Kashtyn, Eleanor, Raylan, Hucklee, Legynd and 1 step great-grandaughter, Lilly. She is also survived by 1 sister-in-law, Jan Wray and 1 brother-in-law Vernon Poehlein. As well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dick, her parents Art and Ena (Lane) Sarsfield, her in-laws Gilbert and Ethel Henry, her sister-in-law Shirley Eckhardt and her husband Ed, sister-in-law Norma Poehlein and brother-in-law Wally Wray.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of Wesley Life at Home Hospice for their care and compassion for Betty and the family in her final weeks.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, June 18, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at the Oakwood Cemetery in Pleasant Hill.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed per Betty’s wishes to Drake University Basketball and Wesley Life at Home Hospice.

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