BETTEJEAN BARNHOUSE
Bettejean "Butch" Barnhouse passed away peacefully with family and friends surrounding her on, Wednesday, August 24, 2011, in Ames, Iowa.
A gathering of friends, with the family present, will be held at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care on August 26, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. A Celebration of Life funeral service has been planned for August 27, at 10:30am, with Pastor Tom Prochnow officiating at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care. Burial will follow the service at Ames Municipal Cemetery.
Bettejean was born on September 4, 1923, to David Arthur McCoy and Thelma Leora Chapman McCoy at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa. Bettejean attended Ames schools' and graduated from Ames High School in 1943. Following graduation, she traveled to California where she lived for a brief period of time with family, before returning to Iowa to work at the Ordinance plant in Ankeny, helping with the ongoing war effort.
On July 14, 1946, Bettejean married the love of her life, Kenneth James Barnhouse. They shared 44 years of marriage and were blessed with two children, Roxanne J. Bickelhaupt and Renee' J. Kayser.
As a lifelong resident of Ames, Bettejean was honored as a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Post 37. She was also a member of the Ladies of the Moose (733), was a Lady of the Elks (1626) and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ames, Iowa. She worked briefly at Younkers and then spent the past 50 years as an AVON representative.
Bettejean enjoyed spending time with her family, cooking, tending the garden, fishing, bowling and dancing. For the past 30 years, Bettejean was an active member of the Class of '43 reunion committee. She also enjoyed gathering with her friends from Riverside once a month.

Bettejean is survived by her sister, Janet "Cracky" Yoder (James); daughters, Roxanne (Harold) Bickelhaupt and Renee' (Chris) Kayser; six grandchildren: Wendy Bickelhaupt Williams (Toby), Audra Kayser Schroeder (Tim), Nicholas Bickelhaupt (Lisa), Nichole Kayser, Tiffany Kayser Soukup (Rich) and Ashley Kayser (Jeff Eckman); seven great-grandchildren: Jaydon and McKeyna Williams, Laurel and Logan Schroeder, Nevaeh and Noelle Eckman and Stella Bickelhaupt; two nieces: Lyn Yoder Darrah (Mark) and Stephanie Yoder McLaughlin (Tom) and her cat, Tiger.
Bettejean was preceded in death by her husband, parents, infant brother and numerous family and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family to be donated at their discretion in Bettejean's memory.
"All my life, I shall wear purple."
Online condolences may be sent to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com