Betty J. Harris

Allegany - Betty Jean Ulton Harris

            Betty Jean Ulton Harris, of 3974 Route 417, passed away on Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, following an illness.

            Betty Jean was born on July 31, 1922 in Hot Springs, South Dakota to Walter and Lucy Klemp.  She spent her childhood days on the prairie ranch near Oelrichs, South Dakota with her parents Ed and Lucy Ulton and her sister, Edean, attending Windy Hill School and graduating from Oelrichs High School.  She and her future husband, Ken L. Harris, graduated from Colorado Springs Bible College (Immanuel Missionary Church) and were married August 7, 1941.  They celebrated 58 years of marriage.

            Betty and Kenneth pastored Immanuel Missionary Churches in Nebraska and Colorado; Wesleyan Methodist Churches in Montana and Wyoming, and the Free Methodist Church in Rushford.  They both were instrumental in the construction of Brainerd Indian School in Hot Springs, SD and worked for Houghton College for 25+ years.

            Betty was an active leader in Sunday School, VBS, family camps, children's camps and youth camps, serving as pianist, cook, song leader, teacher, and craft instructor.  She always kept her mind and her hands busy with reading, puzzles, woodwork, canning, cooling, sewing, beading, knitting, crocheting, painting, and using the computer.

            After her husband's death, she relocated from Kennesaw, Georgia to Allegany, where she was active in the Senior Center, helping to prepare Meals on Wheels.  She spent hours making table decorations, seasonal aprons for the kitchen staff and doing jigsaw puzzles.  She was a great conversationalist and was a generous friend to all.

            She is survived by; her five children, Esther (Wally) Ost of Sioux Falls, SD, Phil (Betty Lou) Harris of Colorado Springs, CO, Rebecca (Royce) Ross of Allegany, Mary Lou (Jeff) Forster of Springville, and Steve (Brenda) Harris of Hollywood, FL; 12 grandchildren; 21 grandchildren; 1 great great grandson; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth, her parents; Walt/Nina Klemp, Ed/Lucy Ulton and her sister, Edean Ulton Jungck. 

            Her life will be celebrated by friends and family at 10:30 am on Friday, January 4, 2019 at the Central Baptist Church, 701 West State Street, Olean, New York 14760.

            Arrangements are under the direction of the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 646 E. State Street, Olean.  Online condolences may be made at www.LetroMcIntoshSpinkFuneralHome.com