Betty Lou LaRue

Betty Lou LaRue, 83, of Clarion passed away Friday, January 2, 2015 at the Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Clarion.

Funeral services for Betty LaRue will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at the Clarion Church of Christ, 420 North Main Street in Clarion, with Pastor Warren Curry officiating.  Burial will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.

Betty Lou (Hackley) LaRue was born October 31, 1931 to William and Doris (Bates) Hackley in Rowan.

Betty was united in marriage to Boyd LaRue on April 29, 1947 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  To this union, seven children were born.  The family made their home in Clarion.

Betty worked as a waitress for many years around Clarion, having worked at the Highway Café, Ken’s Restaurant, A&W, the Spring Garden Restaurant and finally at A&M, retiring when it burned down.

Betty loved to bowl.  She played in several leagues and enjoyed working at the bowling alley.  She also loved playing Bingo 3-4 times a week and won frequently.  She also collected Betty Boop items and butterfly and angel collectibles.

Betty and Boyd enjoyed traveling with their children, whether to Boyd’s annual Navy reunion in Michigan, spontaneous trips to California, or to Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween (her birthday and favorite holiday).  She and Boyd were inseparable; they were married 62 years when Boyd passed away in 2009.

Betty is survived by her children Boyd Elgin (Mary) LaRue of Clarion, Dennis (Debra) LaRue of Clarion, Cheryl Bateman of Williams, Kenneth (Tanata) LaRue of Belmond, Doris (Clark) Trager of Rowan, Keith (Patty) LaRue of Clarion and Richard (Laurie) LaRue of Clarion; 21 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; 12 great great-grandchildren (and another arriving in February); brother David (Lucy) Hackley of West Union and sister Donna (Wayne) Halverson of West Union; along with numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Boyd LaRue, her brother Ronald “Charlie” Hackley and son-in-law Robert Bateman.