Betty Lou Clinton

YOUR HUG MEANT THE WORLD
Nobody else held me so tight
Or made me feel so right
No one’s eyes shined so bright with love
As my mom, who is now high above.
– Tamsen Butler
Betty Lou Clinton, an incredibly caring woman with unending love for her family and friends, joined her lord and savior on June 15, 2021. She was 93 years old when she passed. Her last hours were spent surrounded by her loving family in the hospital, with her three daughters Vicki Riscoe, Cindy Bryant and Terri Dichiser, son-in-laws Tom Riscoe and Bill Dichiser and grandchildren Jillian Riscoe, Matthew Riscoe and Grant Dichiser. In addition, she leaves behind grandchildren, Catherine (Melanie) Boone, Jennifer (Arturo) Ayala and Christina Bryant, as well as great grandchildren Caitlin Pecks, Victoria and Elizabeth Ayala. Betty is joining her deceased relatives, including her parents, Amanda and Edwin Alberswerth, her brother, Robert ‘Bob’ Alberswerth, the father of their children, Richard Clinton, and her grandson Manny Bryant.

She was born to parents Amanda and Edwin Alberswerth, on May 1, 1928, in Higginsville, Missouri. This was May Day and her birthday was celebrated for years with delivery of flower baskets. While she was young, she lived on a farm and milked the cows. She graduated from Higginsville High School in 1945 at age 16 and the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri to the Plaza on Madison Avenue. She always maintained a fondness for the Plaza and the annual lighting ceremony. In high school she played basketball as she was tall at 5’10”.

Betty worked as an Administrative Assistant for companies ranging from Royal Typewriter to Western Auto. She retired from Comfort Products in 2000. She utilized her admirable organizational and research skills throughout her life.

She was passionate about her Card ministry finding the right verse for each person on every occasion, an endless love of reading, playing card games, travel and spending lots of time with her grandchildren. Betty had a strong faith throughout her life. She prayed and read scripture daily. She made friends quickly and relationships mattered greatly to her. As eloquently stated by her granddaughter Jillian, “you always felt seen by her”.

She was a skilled pianist who performed for the USO troops and recorded a record. Her love of music was shared with her children by having each one take piano lessons. Throughout her life she shared her beautiful piano playing, including accompanying her daughter, Terri, and grandson, Grant. She passed down her love of music to her children and grandchildren, with her granddaughter, Jillian, becoming a professional musician and music educator. Betty said that music “healed the soul” and listened to music daily.

Betty met Richard Clinton, married in 1954 and divorced in 1974. She raised three children: Vicki Riscoe, Cindy Bryant and Terri Dichiser. Even though divorced, they continued to celebrate holidays and special days together for their children. She endured many life challenges, including being a single parent, and demonstrated her resilience and perseverance stating her daily motto of taking things “one day at a time”. She was a single parent who imparted the love of reading onto her children stating, “knowledge is something that is yours that no one can ever take away”. Her relationships brought the greatest joy, “Having her three children together was the best gift she could receive.”

A memorial service will be at Wesley Chapel, Church of the Resurrection on June 26, 2021, at 12:00 pm with Wendy Crostek to officiate the ceremony. Reception will immediately follow the ceremony. The family requests that donations in Betty’s name be made to the Church of the Resurrection Foundation, 13720 Roe Avenue, Leawood, KS 66224, where she was a member and practiced her faith.