Betty Thomas Busch

Betty Thomas Busch (Benz) personified The Greatest Generation.  Born in Terre Haute, IN in 1924, she came of age during The Great Depression.

Early on and throughout her life, she made the most of what was dealt her.  By age 18, she had been crowned Turkey Day (Homecoming) Queen, buried both parents, sold the family home and moved to her older sister’s house in Indianapolis.  She spent the war years at Butler University where she met lifelong friends as a member of Pi Beta Phi.

After the war, she served as an executive assistant at Banker’s Life and Casualty Company until she married Jack (John L.) Busch in 1947.  Son Thomas came in 1948, followed by son John in 1951 and daughter Jennifer in 1957.  A matriarch, she was a strong influence on her family and stood shoulder to shoulder with Jack when he launched his own business at which she ran the finances.

Born beautiful and healthy, she took neither for granted.  She exercised daily: first with Jack LaLanne, then with Jane Fonda.  She played competitive tennis into her eighties.  She loved entertaining at home and at the family’s summer place on Lake Wawasee.  Forever young at heart, after Jack’s death in 2001, she married Paul Benz with whom she spent 20 years in a loving relationship.  She lived life to the fullest.

Betty was preceded in death by her first husband, Jack, her son Tom, her two brothers and a sister.  She is survived by her second husband, Paul Benz, her son John (Barbara) Busch, her daughter Jennifer Klein, her daughter in law Claire Farmer,  eight grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

A celebration of life for extended family is planned for later in the year.