Betty Bushey

Betty Elaine Bushey (Horn), 78, of Oklahoma City, passed away on June 11, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born July 9, 1947, in Iola, Kansas, to L.C. Horn and Audrey Horn (Baker).

Betty grew up in Iola, where she graduated from Iola High School in 1965. That same year, on August 22, she married the love of her life, Richard “Dick” Bushey. The newlyweds soon moved to Wichita, where Betty would build a life full of warmth, purpose, and service to others. She attended Wichita State University and went on to work for USD 259 South High School as the principal secretary for an impressive 29 years, becoming a beloved fixture in the school community.

When Betty and Dick retired in 2004, they made the move to Rolla, to be closer to their two granddaughters, Casey and Kaleigh. That decision said everything about who Betty was. She wanted to be there, not just in spirit but in person, at every game, every event, every moment that mattered. She worked for Rolla Schools USD 217 for another 12 years because she simply wasn’t the type to sit still when there was more, she could give. In Rolla, she threw herself into the community as a member of Rolla HOPE, the Rolla Lions Club, and the Rolla Booster Club.

Betty lived her life taking care of everyone else, and she had a gift for making people feel seen and loved. Around Christmas, she spent countless hours in the kitchen baking her famous sugar cookies and Christmas candy, sharing them with teachers, staff, friends, and family. She even mailed cookies to relatives who lived far away so no one would miss out. She and Dick were always in attendance at Casey and Kaleigh’s sporting events and activities. They were known to show up to volleyball tournaments arriving with an entire sandwich bar complete with various breads, meats, cheeses, and fruit assortments tailored to each individual player. At Halloween, she delighted in handing out candy, popcorn balls, and keeping a running count of trick-or-treaters (young and old). Her home in Rolla became the unofficial lunch spot for all the lifeguards during their breaks, regardless of Casey and Kaleigh working that day. Betty knew everyone’s order by heart and was ready to prepare their food the second they walked through the door.

When she wasn’t feeding half the town, Betty could be found baking, working on her embroidery, tending her garden, reading a good book, or settling in for a Hallmark movie. But her greatest joy was always watching Casey and Kaleigh in whatever activity they were doing.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, L.C. and Audrey Horn; her beloved husband, Richard “Dick” Bushey; her sisters, Sue Edwards and Helen Miller; and her brothers, Lawrence Horn, Ronald Horn, and Richard Horn.

She is survived by her daughter, Shelley (Audra) Barrett and son-in-law John Barrett of Oklahoma City; her granddaughters, Casey Mantzke and husband Tyler Mantzke of Amarillo, Texas and Kaleigh West and husband Ryan West of Oklahoma City; her two great-grandchildren Rashan and Adaleyah West of Oklahoma City; and dear family members Patsy Horn, Beth and R.D. Sherrill, along with many nieces, nephews, friends and community members whose lives she touched with her generous spirit.

Betty’s family finds comfort in knowing she is at peace and reunited with Dick and those who went before her.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, July 17, at United Methodist Church in Rolla. In the meantime, those who knew Betty are encouraged to remember her the way she would have wanted, by sharing a meal, doing something kind for a neighbor, or maybe baking a batch of sugar cookies for someone who could use a little sweetness.