Bettielou (Whitehouse) Lyons

Bettielou (Whitehouse) Lyons passed away peacefully on Thursday June 15, 2023, at the Renaissance of Richfield in Brecksville.

Bettielou was born January 10th, 1928, in Youngstown, Ohio, the daughter of the late George and Laura (McMaster) Whitehouse. She moved to Boardman, OH at the age of ten and remained there until she moved to her cottage on Berlin Reservoir.

She was a member of the 1945 graduating class of Boardman High. While attending Miami University in Coral Gables, FL she led the majorettes during the half time show of the 1947 Orange Bowl game. She also attended Youngstown College. Bettielou was a professional dancer and taught dancing in her own studio. She later became a homemaker.

Bettielou will be remembered for her quick wit and for rarely letting a day go by without an ice cream cone (or two as she once admitted!).

She kept her sense of humor and bold fashion sense right up until the end when she told her nurse she needed a new hose for her oxygen tank. The nurse thought that something was wrong with it, but Bettielou explained she needed a new one to match the color of her outfit for the day.          

Always one to speak her mind, Bettielou was once served a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch at her assisted living facility. When the server put it in front of her, she asked the woman if they had mixed up her lunch with a kindergartner’s.                                                                                         

She leaves behind her son, Keith Paul (Trisha), daughters Georgan and Lancee, grandchildren Sydney, Patrick, Bradley, Andy, Alex, Sean, and great grandchildren Shianna and Greyson.

Bettielou was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, William P. Lyons, son William George “Rusty”, and daughter Laurene, sister Glenda Rae Whitehouse and grandsons Adam and Patrick Howard.

Private services and interment were held at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Tuesday June 20, 2023, with Pastor Greg Calko.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Edward J. Fox & Sons Funeral Home, 4700 Market St. Boardman.

Family and friends of Bettielou may visit www.foxfuneralhome.org to view this obituary and to leave condolences for the family.

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