Betty Reeves Burger passed away September 18, 2020 peacefully at Bishop Spencer Place in Kansas City surrounded by her three daughters.  

Betty was born October 18, 1930 in San Pedro, California.  She was raised by her Grandmother, Lora Reeves, and then by her Uncle Roland and Aunt Mary Campbell alongside her cousin Kathleen Campbell Laws. 

Betty graduated from Troy State Teachers College in Troy, Alabama where she was a Majorette. She was a teacher before applying to be a Stewardess with the airlines.  As a Stewardess for TWA, Betty was involved with training, writing manuals, and creating the first TWA pre-departure flight and safety announcement. Betty was also a proud member of the TWA crews that took Vice President Nixon to Moscow and Warsaw for the Kitchen Debates and President Eisenhower to Scotland.

She married Wallace McCutcheon Burger on March 18, 1955 in Kansas City.  Always active, Betty was involved in all things swimming with her girls. She and Wally were members of Mission Hills Country Club. She loved to play golf and was an avid bridge player. She was also very involved with the Kansas City Junior League, the Children’s Mercy Hospital’s Children’s Relief Association, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Guild.  Betty had a deep passion for animals and donated regularly to many worthy causes.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Wally in 2013.  She leaves behind her three daughters, Sally Burger Surridge and husband Bob of Newport Beach CA, Mary Burger Swanson and husband Tim of Prairie Village KS, and Annie Burger Fee and husband Bob of Hutchinson KS.  She leaves six loving grandchildren.  Rob Fee and his wife Paige, Kathleen Fee, Madelyn Fee, Emily Fee, Bobby Surridge, and Christopher Surridge.  She also leaves her cousin Kathleen Laws, her sister in-law Louise Jamison, and nieces and nephews Mary Beth Erwin, Rob Laws, Susan Hustead, Sally Doane and John Jamison.

As to her wishes, Betty will be cremated and her ashes scattered at a later date. No service is planned.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Wayside Waifs Animal Shelter or a worthy cause of your choosing.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at the York Skilled Nursing facility.

Betty lived a long, full, and happy life.  She loved deeply and fiercely.  She was our Momma Bear.