Betty May Atwell

Betty May Atwell, age 98, of Topeka, KS passed away Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at Midland Hospice Care in Topeka.  Betty was born August 8, 1922 in Topeka the daughter of Charles and Stella (Reaser) Suddarth.  Betty married William “Bill” F. Schafer on April 5, 1942.  They celebrated 28 years of marriage before Bill died in 1970.   They had three sons, Fred, Larry and Dale.  She married Homer B. Atwell on October 2, 1977.  They celebrated 27 years of marriage prior to his death in December 2004.  Betty and Homer travelled extensively following their retirement, taking numerous cruises.  Betty worked at Stormont Vail Hospital as a patient representative for 15 years, retiring in 1983.  She loved the Schafer family and was integral to the establishment of the yearly Schafer reunion, a tradition which began in 1978 and is preserved to this day.  She was very active at the Kansas Avenue United Methodist Church and in the Eastern Star and White Shrine of Jerusalem organizations, serving as a 60-year member of all three.  Betty enjoyed crocheting.  From 2008 to 2019, she crocheted and donated more than 5,000 baby hats for newborns at Stormont Vail Hospital.  Betty loved spending time with her family, especially her eight grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.  She also loved her cats, which she kept two at a time.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bill, her sister Myrtle, her brother Orville and her second husband Homer.  She is survived by three sons, Fred (Camille) Schafer of Topeka, Larry (Galene) Schafer of Clayton, IL and Dale (Diane) Schafer of Topeka; a sister-in-law, Oleta Schafer of Topeka; eight grandchildren, Brad of Parker, CO, Lisa of Wichita, Emily of Detroit, MI, Scott of Arvada, CO, Julie of Topeka, Travis of Quincy, IL, Andy and Adam of Topeka; 17 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Monday, August 9, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Kansas Avenue United Methodist Church.  Visitation will be one hour before the services, from 9:30 a.m. until service time at the church.  Interment will be at the Rochester Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas Avenue United Methodist Church.  Mrs. Atwell’s family would like to thank the staff of Stormont Vail Hospital, Phoenix Hospice and Midland Hospice for their excellent care of Betty.  davidsonfuneral.com