Elizabeth Bette Claire (Brown) Gragson Elizabeth Bette Claire (Brown) Gragson, passed away while sleeping in the early hours of October 14, 2016. Bette was born on November 11, 1931 in Hays, Kansas. She was the fourth of eight children born to Lawrence L. and Mary (Brungardt) Brown. Bette graduated from the Girls Catholic High School in 1949. After High School, Bette worked for Kansas Claim Service performing secretarial and accounting responsibilities. Later in life Bette became owner of Kansas Claim Service of Topeka. She was a member of Shell Knob Lions Club and was Bingo Chairman. She had a lifelong passion for music and was a talented singer. In Hays Bette met her husband James Jim Leonard Gragson who she married on August 22, 1955. Bette is survived by her husband Jim, their son Leonard, wife Diana of Olathe, Kansas and their son Jeff; their son John, wife Donna of Topeka, Kansas and their children Tommy, Rachael and James; their son Phillip of Topeka and his sons Dylan and Nicholas; and son Doug, wife Alison and their daughter Ali of Springfield, Missouri; five great grandchildren, Anthony, Brelyn, Adylyn, Scarlett, and Violett; a sister Mary Alice Carroll of Phoenix, Arizona; two brothers, Bernard Brown and his wife Phyllis of Hays and Jerry Brown of New York City and 15 nieces and nephews. Bette was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters Flora Lee Fuchs and Theresa Brown; two brothers Lawrence F (Red) Brown and William F (Bill) Brown; sister-in-law Mary Kay Brown and brother-in-law Joseph Carroll. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 21, 2016 in Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob. Reverend Hank Grodecki will conduct the services. Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences. FOHN FUNERAL HOME Shell Knob, Missouri 417-858-3151 Bette Gragson