Friess, Betty L. 1926-2025 Inerness, Fla.
INVERNESS, Fla. – Betty Lou Friess, age 98, passed away on June 7, 2025 in Inverness, Florida. Betty entered the world near King City, Missouri, the first child of Watt G. and Buelah Maud (Hailey) Thompson, on Aug. 14, 1926. Her childhood was spent near King City, and she graduated from King City High School at age 17.
In 1944, amid the storm of World War II, Betty enrolled in the Missouri Methodist Nurses Program in St. Joseph, with a commitment to serve the U.S. Army upon graduation. However, with the end of the war she was released from that commitment and instead joined the staff at Methodist hospital when her training was complete in May 1947. At Methodist she served as a private duty nurse, recovery room nurse, and even an iron lung nurse. She later became the assistant director of nursing at St. Joseph Hospital for more than a decade.
During her nursing training Betty was assigned to care for patient William Friess. Mr. Friess, who had injured his ankle in a fight at work, incurred her immediate distaste because of the reason for his injury and the fact that he was an only child. Bill had a different view of Betty. He asked her to go out with him. She refused. Bill continued to ask Betty out, persisting even after he was discharged from the hospital. She continued to refuse. Eventually she agreed to a single date, just to get him to leave her alone.
They were married Nov. 22, 1947.
Betty and Bill had three children: Michael, born in 1948, Debi, born in 1951, and Cindy, born in 1955. In 1969, they moved to the Chicago area. There Betty served as a staff nurse at a blood bank and at a clinic in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Betty retired in 1988, having worked as a nurse for more than 40 years.
In 1989 Betty and Bill moved to Beverly Hills, Florida, then in 2005 to Inverness, Florida. When daughter Cindy fought a long battle with breast cancer in 2008, Betty spent six months back in Illinois, following her nursing instinct to care for Cindy to the very end.
Back in Florida Betty celebrated her 67th wedding anniversary with Bill before he passed away in 2015. She continued to live in her home until 2025, with assistance from friends next door.
Throughout her life Betty enjoyed baking, ceramics, crafts, sewing, and reading. Her family looked for packages of baked goods in the mail from her every December. Betty taught Sunday School at Wyatt Park Baptist in St. Joseph and First Baptist in St. Charles, Illinois, and she and Bill attended First Baptist in Beverly Hills and in Inverness. She also played piano.
Betty is survived by her son, Michael (Connie) C. Friess, of Gower, Missouri; daughter, Debra S. DeShon, of Lincoln, Nebraska; grandchildren, Scott (Jessie), of Gower, Joshua (Tami) DeShon, of Lincoln, Trisha (Joseph) Pull, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, John DePauw, of Hampshire, Illinois, Sean (Rachel) DePauw, of South Elgin, Illinois, Shane Whiteman, of Oilmount Montana, Richelle Reece, of Smithville Missouri; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister, Sharon (Thompson) Erickson, of St. Joseph; and nieces and nephews
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 68 years, William E. Friess; daughter, Cindy Jo DePauw; parents, Watt and Buelah Thompson; and brother, Bobby Dale Thompson.
Graveside Farewell Services and Entombment 10 a.m. Monday, Memorial Park Mausoleum. The family will gather with friends one hour prior to the service, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The procession will leave from Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com. As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
