Betty Puckett

Betty (Janssen) Puckett, 85, of Pender, Nebraska passed away at Hospice House, the Jossie Harper Residence  in Omaha, Nebraska on December 7, 2016.  Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 10, 2016 at the United Church of Pender in Pender, NE; with Pastor Steve Breazier officiating.  Visitation will be held 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 9, 2016 at Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender. The burial will be in the Rosehill Cemetery in Pender. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Pender.  Betty A. (Janssen) Puckett was born in Omaha, Nebraska on June 7, 1931 to Foster and Anna (Taylor) Janssen. She grew up on farms north of Allen, Nebraska and graduated from Allen High School in 1949.  Following graduation, she worked as a dental assistant in Sioux City, Iowa for several years.   She married Jim Puckett in Allen on September 14, 1952 and they lived on a farm east of Allen.  They were blessed with two daughters, Amy and Sherry.  In 1961 they sold their farm and purchased Mayberry Florist in Pender, Nebraska.  The name was changed to Puckett Florist and Betty became an accomplished floral designer serving Pender and the surrounding communities.  She won many design awards and she and four other designers were the charter members the Nebraska Academy of Floral Designers.  Betty also served on the board of the Nebraska Florist Society for several years.  In the late sixties Betty began taking pictures as a hobby for Pender High School activities and developed and printed pictures in her own dark room.   After buying a used 35 mm camera in 1970, she began taking wedding and family pictures.  Puckett Florist officially became Puckett Florist and Photo in 1979 when a second story studio was added to the floral shop.  Betty was a member of several national professional photography organizations.  The floral business was sold in 1985 when Jim retired and the studio was relocated to a building on the highway near the motel.  After the studio was sold in 1993, Betty continued to take pictures for several years.  Betty lived at home until she moved into the Prairie Breeze Assisted Living facility in Pender, in 2012. In December of 2014, declining health made it necessary for her to move to Legacy Gardens Rehabilitation and Living Center. In August, following her husband Jim’s death earlier in the year, Betty moved to the memory care unit at Esprit at Whispering Ridge in Omaha.    Betty had an active role in her church and many community organizations.  She was a member of the United Methodist Church, which later became the United Church of Pender, providing seasonal altar displays and was a member of the United Women’s group.  Community activities included:  founder of a Pender Newcomers Group, ESA Beta Pi sorority, Pender Junior Women’s Club, Hospital Auxiliary, P.E.O., volunteer for Hospice of Siouxland, volunteer at Legacy Garden helping with hair, nails, and bingo, she was a member of the Betty Club and Pender Chamber of Commerce, and was named the Chamber of Commerce volunteer of the year in 1998.  Betty also served on the board of the Pender Community Health Care Foundation.   She and Jim were avid supporter of all Pender High School activities and sporting events.  Her family was her passion.  Preserving and nurturing relationships with family and friends was her top priority.  Betty and Jim’s home was a gathering place for folks from places far and near.  She also made time to babysit for her grandchildren and great grandchildren whenever needed.  She was their biggest fan and rarely missed one of their activities.  Left to cherish her memory are her two daughters, Amy Worth (David), and Sherry Anderson (Mike), all of Omaha; grandchildren, Jeff Cooper, Jessica Karas (Dustin), Michael Stanek (Kaylee), and Tim Stanek; eight great grandchildren; sisters, Alice Dietz (Phil) of Norfolk, Kelly Pederson (Les) of Dakota Dunes, and Elaine Witter of State College, PA; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Jim; granddaughter, Jill Stanek, son-in-law; Mark Stanek; and brother-in-law, Ron Witter.