Betty Evalean Forward

Betty Evalean Forward, a beloved soul marked by her warmth and creativity, departed this life on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at the Satanta Long Term Care Unit in Satanta, Kansas.

She was born on March 26, 1927, in rural Tyrone, Oklahoma to her parents LV Kilgore and Vallie Jane (Allison) Kilgore. 

She and Charles Lee Forward were married February 10, 1946 was married 78 years to this union of 2 sons, Steven Lee and Robert Allan. She was an old fashioned farm girl who helped with anything on the farm. Farrowing sows feed the baby calves to milking cows. 

She was very active with the Ladies 42 years of the Elk Lodges at Local and State Levels, worked on many committees and chaired some as Lady Elk of the year at the State Level in 1998 at State Convention in Wichita. 

She is survived by husband Charles, rural Hugoton, KS.; two sons, Steve Forward, Hugoton, KS., Robert Forward and wife Debbie, Satanta, KS., four grandchildren, Kevin Christenson and wife Lori, Clint Forward and wife Erin, Stevie Forward and wife Amanda, Bryce Forward and wife Ellen; 13 great grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren and other relatives and friends.

Though Evalean's  journey was a rich tapestry woven with many threads, it was also one marked by loss. She was preceded in death by her loving parents, a grandson, Brian Forward, her daughter-in-law LaNell Forward, and cherished relatives, including her nephew Richard Kilgore and siblings Carlos Kilgore and Geneva Baughman. Each of these losses carved a space in her heart, but they never diminished her compassionate spirit; rather, they deepened her appreciation for the love shared within her family.

Memorials have been established for Lonestar Friends Church and Kansas Elks Training Center; in care of Robson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 236, Hugoton, KS 67951

Betty's visitation will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Robson Funeral Home in Hugoton, Kansas, where friends and family will gather to honor her memory from 5 PM to 7 PM. 

Funeral Service will be on Monday, September 16, 2024, at 10:30 AM at Lonestar Friends Church, rural Hugoton, KS with Pastor James Towner and Pastor Gary Damron presiding. 

As we reflect on Betty Forward's life, we remember her as a beloved matriarch whose love encompassed all. Though her departure leaves a void, her spirit lives on in the hearts of her family and friends, ever-present in the warmth of a crocheted blanket and the laughter shared over a crossword puzzle, echoing the profound connections she fostered throughout her remarkable life.