Betty Hild

Betty Ellen Hild
1922 - 2020

Betty Ellen Hild, 97, of Leawood, Kansas died on Friday, November 6th in the comfort of her family.  Betty was born in San Francisco, California on December 22, 1922 to Walter and Ellyn Elizabeth (Hyland) Miller.  The family moved from San Francisco to the farmland of Nebraska when Betty was 8 years old.  She attended school, graduating from Chapman High School when she was only 16.  Betty attended business school and was immediately offered a job at the Pentagon in Washington DC, but parental cautions kept her from accepting the position.  She met the love of her life, Melvin Oscar Hild, and they married in 1942. Melvin built a home for them in Grand Island, where they raised their daughter Nancy, born two years later. Betty worked at The Thompson Company, a wholesale distributor of candy and tobacco, for 46 years. She and Melvin later moved to Kansas City to live with her daughter, Nancy and spend more time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Eventually Betty and Melvin moved to Brookdale Senior Living, where Betty was immediately at home and surrounded by friends, being a very social lady with great graces. Melvin died in 2010, and Betty eventually moved to Leawood Gardens. Betty was an excellent card player, a life-long fan of the KC Royals baseball team, a devout member of the Lutheran Church, and was loved by all who met her.  Betty leaves behind her daughter, Nancy Keller, and her 3 grandchildren, Bryan Keller (Diana), Traci Putnam (Durk) and Jeff Keller (Laura).  She also leaves six great-grandchildren, April, David, James, Broc, Olivia and Cole and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Walter, Lyle and Norman, as well as her dear husband, Melvin.  Betty lived a good life full of grace and love for her family and friends and she will be deeply missed.