Bettie Newby

Bettie Newby age 92, of Wichita, Kansas died peacefully on Saturday June 13, surrounded by her family. Bettie was born in the spring of 1934 in Missouri the daughter of Arthur and Lois Call. Early in her life she was on the move. Her father, as a young man, worked for the Frisco Railway moving his young family up and down the rail line in many small towns in Missouri and Southeast Kansas. She attended elementary school in Carthage, Missouri, Cherryvale, Kansas and Neodesha, Kansas.

Bettie attended and graduated from Neodesha High School where she met her future husband, Jim. She was involved in band, orchestra, and many vocal groups and was a soloist for many concerts. She studied piano and voice with Mildred Dean at Independence Junior College in Independence, Kansas. She performed in many piano concerts, played the organ for the First Baptist Church in Neodesha, Kansas, and was a soloist for the First Christian Scientist Church.

Bettie graduated from Independence Business College in Independence Kansas. Concurrently, however she trained to be a dental hygienist which would kick off her early career and lead her to attend the University of Kansas City receiving her certification of Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene. Here she would continue to practice and teach while her husband Jim attended medical school at the University of Kansas. Fast forward, following Jim’s medical internships and residency in Denver, Bettie joined the faculty of Colorado College instructing and heading up the Dental assistant program.

While in Denver, Bettie was active in her church choir, studied art, and was busy teaching while raising her three boys and daughter, this, while her husband was deployed to Vietnam. Foreshadowing her design career, a fellow art student asked Bettie to assist and work part time with an interior designer. She also served on the board of "Colorado for Deaf Education", an organization dear to her and Jim as two of their sons are hearing impaired.

Bettie found her way back to Kansas as Jim established his surgical practice in Wichita. In Wichita her focus remained on raising her family, while establishing and serving her community. She served on the Board of Wichita Art Museum, the Wichita Center for the Arts, and the Wichita YWCA. She was the chairman of the First Holiday Food Tasting Fair. Bettie was also a board member and charter member of Wichita Botanical Gardens. She served on the Rainbow United Board, Wichita Medical Auxiliary Board, St Francis Hospital Auxiliary Board, and chairman of the Kansas National Charity Horse Show. Bettie also served as volunteer director of KETCH, was a member of the Board of Planned Parenthood, Symphony Show House Board, and is a member of PEO Chapter I- EW in Wichita.

In Bettie's later years, she formed a home studio design business called Design 2000 with her friend and associate Esther Reed working for clients, friends, and family.

Traveling, relaxing, reading, knitting, and enjoying the Red Rock Country in Sedona, and showing the beautiful surrounding to friends and family were just some of Bettie's pleasures. She and Jim celebrated their 71 years of marriage in June of 2026. Their love for one other was as strong, if not stronger, than the first day of their marriage.

Bettie is survived by her husband Dr James Newby MD, children; Randy Newby (Perry), Michael Newby (Barbara), Mark Newby (Sara), and Melissa Shaw (Steve); grandchildren Christopher Newby (Karen), Kendall Newby, Rachel Vasko (Thomas), Zachary Newby (Centi), Hanna Newby, Ryan Newby, Olivia Wyse (Robert), Gabriel Newby; great grandchildren Vaughn Newby, Harper Newby, Emma Jane Wyse, Stella Vasko, and two more on the way.

Bettie was preceded in death by her father Arthur Call; mother Lois Call.

A Celebration of Life service for Bettie followed by a reception will be held from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday, July 24, at the Cozine Life Event Center.

Memorial gifts in Betties' honor may be made to Wichita PEO I-EW and to the Wichita Botanical Gardens, 701 N. Amidon St., Wichita, KS 67203.