Betty Holcomb

Betty Holcomb, a resident of Buffalo, OK, died August 10 at the age of 89. Betty was born November 23, 1930 to Carl and Elizabeth Hellman. She attended Medicine Lodge High School and graduated from the Wesley School of Nursing in Wichita, Kansas.  She married Thomas O. Merritt in 1952 and had two children: Tom and Susan. In 1955, her husband was killed in a tragic accident leaving her a widow with two small children. She continued to work as a nurse at Wesley Hospital in Wichita during this time. In January of 1958, she married Marcus Holcomb, a young attorney from Buffalo, OK where the family made their home. Marc practiced law, and the family had a farming and ranching operation. Marc and Betty had four children: Edward, John, Robert and Laura. Marc and Betty were married 53 years at the time of Marc’s death in 2010.

Betty was very active in the Buffalo community. A faithful Lutheran her entire life, she was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, as well as the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. Betty was devoted to her family, and involved in her children’s many activities and sporting events. Together, Marc and Betty worked and operated the family ranch. They also loved to dance and usually went to a dance once a week after their children went to college. Betty loved to play bridge with her friends and belonged to numerous bridge clubs over the years. She also enjoyed watching sporting events, particularly her beloved KU Jayhawk basketball teams.

Betty was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and mother in law. She was a friend to many people and will be greatly missed. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Gene Hellman, her husbands’ Thomas O. Merritt and Marcus Holcomb and her daughter Susan Merritt Allen. She is survived by her children: Tom Merritt and wife Deb, Dr. Ed Holcomb, John Holcomb and wife Heidi, Dr. Robert Holcomb, Laura Keck and husband Scott, and son in law Rex Allen, 7 grandchildren, 4 step grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Services for Betty will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, Buffalo, OK on September 19 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Zion Lutheran Church, US-64, Buffalo, OK 73834.