Betty M Lahodny

Betty Marie Lahodny passed peacefully in her home in Ferndale, Arkansas on June 4, 2022. Born to W.B. and Mabel Claire Morton in Beatrice, Nebraska on December 4, 1925, she was the youngest of five children. Betty is an alumnus of Colorado Women’s College in Denver, Colorado. Shortly after graduation, she married Darrell Dean Lahodny to whom she was married for sixty years before he preceded her in death.

She is survived by: Her two children, Ann Berry (Steve) and Steve Lahodny (Lori), both of Ferndale Arkansas; her three grandchildren, Christy Pettit (Kevin) of Ferndale, Arkansas, Hannah Lahodny of Kigali, Rwanda, and Sam Lahodny of Kansas City, Kansas; many nieces and nephews.

From the Great Depression to World War II, Betty’s youth was shaped by a myriad of critical junctures for United States history. These life experiences fostered her strength and independence, which were evident as she continued to live independently with much support from her daughter Ann, until her death at the age of 96. While her nature was quiet, her actions spoke loudly. Betty was an avid community volunteer and friend to all animals. She was a longtime member of First Christian Church in Little Rock. She was a proud American and dedicated volunteer poll worker on election day. Patriotism was in her roots, as a missing Birth Certificate lost in a courthouse fire was her only barrier to a membership to the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Her life was filled with quiet compassion and simple pleasures. During the many summers she spent in the North Woods of Minnesota, she found joy in the sounds of the lake’s loons and peace of the water. She could outlast all of her grandchildren over games of Monopoly and never declined a game of cards – nor a bowl of ice cream. Her quick wit kept her family on their toes. Betty will be dearly missed by her friends, family, and her hummingbirds.

There will be a private family graveside service on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 followed by a family visitation at Betty’s home at 33200 Kanis Road in Ferndale from 5:30 - 7:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, her family warmly welcomes donations to Heifer International or Care for Animals in Little Rock.