Funeral arrangements for Betty Sue Meyer are set for Friday, September 1, 2023 at St. John LaLande Catholic Church. Her family will receive family and friends from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at 11:30 a.m., Fr Don Farnan presiding. Inurnment will take place at a later time. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Gentiva Hospice The Gentiva Foundation (gentivahs.com) or Band of Angels Donate (bandofangels.org) Meyers Funeral Chapel in Blue Springs has been entrusted with arrangements. Memories of Betty and words of comfort for her family may be shared at meyersfuneralchapel.com
Betty Sue Henks, a lifelong musician, was born in the small town of Norborne, MO on April 17, 1939. After having two sons, her parents, Bill and Bessie Henks were excited to welcome their first surviving daughter.
Betty Sue learned to play the piano at an early age and went on to become a teacher herself during her later teen years. This was to be the beginning of her lifelong passion as a teacher of music. Betty also learned to play the clarinet and performed in the Norborne High School Pirate Band, as well as many local concerts, and district and state music festivals.
Betty graduated from Norborne High School in May 1957 and entered college at what was then named Central Missouri State Teachers College in Warrensburg, MO. It was no surprise that she decided to major in instrumental music and graduated in May 1960 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree. During her years in college, she participated in the local Newman Club for Catholic college students at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warrensburg. It was there that she met the love of her life, Ted Meyer.
Betty and Ted wed on June 3, 1961, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norborne, MO, and moved to Blue Springs, MO to begin their family. Both became teachers in the Kansas City Public Schools with Betty as a traveling music teacher and Ted employed at Paseo High School then later moving to Van Horn High School. While starting their teaching careers, they attended CMSC together to complete their Masters Degrees.
As they settled into their new life in their tiny upstairs apartment, they began to talk about starting a business in Blue Springs, so they drove around town and surveyed the active businesses. The choices came down to either an ice cream shop or a music store, and the rest is history! Meyer Music was established in 1966 and is still active today in Blue Springs, North Kansas City and Overland Park, Kansas. They were always grateful to their landlord who took a chance on this young couple and agreed to provide them with a startup loan.
Betty and Ted both continued to teach in Kansas City until the store became profitable enough that they decided it was time for Betty to stop teaching and run Meyer Music full time which included teaching many private piano lessons for the next several years. A few years later Ted decided to leave teaching and join her in running Meyer Music full-time.
Betty and Ted started their family in 1962 with their first son Tom. They later welcomed their daughter Julie in 1963, son Mike in 1967, and daughter Mitzi in 1973. All their children are college graduates. Julie became a school music teacher, while the other three children became a part of Meyer Music where they continue to work today.
Ted and Betty are members of St. John LaLande Catholic Church where Betty played the organ for many years. Their strong faith has kept them in attendance together along with family baptisms, communions, and weddings for over sixty years.
Betty was an active community leader and servant for so many organizations. She received numerous awards and recognitions such as Outstanding Young Woman of Blue Springs by the Jaycees and Citizen of the Year by the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce. Betty and Ted were selected as the Citizens of the Year by Truman Heartland Community Foundation as well.
Betty passed on to her heavenly reward on August 23, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.
Betty is survived by her husband of 62 years, Ted Meyer of Blue Springs, MO, and her children; Tom (Susan) of Blue Springs, MO; Julie (Paul) Anwander of Blue Springs, MO; Mike (Johnna) Meyer of Overland Park, KS; and Mitzi (Patrick) Phelan of Liberty, MO, as well as 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Bill Henks of Lee’s Summit, MO and her sister Pat Henks Hatley of Blue Springs, MO.
She was preceded in death by her infant son, her parents Bill and Bessie Henks of Norborne, MO, her brother Richard Henks and her sister Rose Kallenberger-McDaneld both of Norborne, MO.
My sincere condolences to the Meyer family.
Lorrie (Lugert) Gordon
Betty was an amazing business women. She cared for every part of Meyer Music with such great attention and detail. She had tenacity in closing a sale….but she had a genuine desire to make her customers feel special. No matter what she was doing, she would make time to greet you from her office and ask you to pull up a chair.
Aside from her business was her family. Ted and Betty have raised their children to carry on their legacy of being incredibly hard workers. And, that legacy has been passed down in the next generation of Meyer grandchildren and great grandchildren. Betty is a truly special person that the world has benefited so much from her being a part of.
I can still see her smile and hear her laughter. She will be missed. But the examples of what she accomplished will never fade.
My condolences go out to Ted, Tom, Julie, Mike, and Mitzi, and her many other extended family members.
My sincere condolences to the entire Meyer family.
Your family will be in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
The Meyer family is in my thoughts and prayers. I think about Betty every time I look at the piano we bought from her.
We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this beloved woman. We pray for your comfort and strength. And we thank you Betty, and everyone at Meyer Music, for bringing the wonderful joy of music into three generations of our own family, and countless more individuals and families. Such a special woman, and so many treasured moments created and given. The incredible legacy of a beautiful soul.
Betty was a true joy – kind, caring, intelligent, and so funny! She is one of a kind and someone all women can aspire to be like. I am honored to have had the opportunity to know and be friends with Betty. I have fond memories of her hosting holiday social events at her home for W.E.E. I always looked forward to visiting, hearing her stories, and laughing with her. She will most definitely be missed, but not forgotten.
My condolences and thoughts are with the Meyer family. Having worked with the Meyer Music business as a rep for 16 years, I always enjoyed their friendship.
Our lunches and dinners were always fun.
We all, in the music industry, will miss Betty. She was one in a million.
Ted, Tom, Julie, Mike and Mitzi
I was so very sad to learn of Betty passing. I have many fond memories of your family, living so close to you when the children were small. I remember piano recitals in the living room. I wasn’t very good, but Betty kept encouraging me. I was however, happy when I got to babysit for her. She was always so good to me. What a great role model for women she was, and our town was fortunate to have your family settle here. You all are in my thoughts and prayers.
Your family are in our thoughts and prayers. We remember the good ole days back in college. Such great memories of the school reunions you hosted.
My deepest condolences to the Meyer family. Betty was a wonderful woman she will be missed
The heavenly choir has truly received a musical angel!!!
I was privileged to have worked with Betty and Ted in our community events.
Betty was truly one of the greatest ladies I ever met.
My prayers and thoughts to Ted and family as you remember her.
Deepest condolences to all of you. She was a wonderful lady and a sharp businesswoman. Thinking of you during this sad time.
We have fond memories of Betty through NASMD and other music functions where we shared several meals. Our condolences to the family. She was a strong leader in a great business
Truly one of the most gracious people I have ever had the privilege to know. Didn’t matter where you were a community event or a Merl Haggard concert Betty always was glad to see you with that wonderful smile.
While Ted is the official Rotarian they shared passion for Service above Self over and over again.
Im sure the heavenly host are gathered around a piano enjoying Betty.