Betty Finkbiner, age 64, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Clay County Medical Center. Born October 21, 1960, Smithville County Hospital, Smithville Missouri, to Chester and Norma (Weers) Hicks. Betty lived a life filled with faith, family and joy.
She married the love of her life, Scott Finkbiner, on September 29, 1979, at Faith United Presbyterian Church in Clifton, Kansas. Together they raised three children — Amber, Ashley, and Brett — across seven states — Kansas, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Minnesota, and ultimately back to their roots in Kansas.
Though she later returned to school to proudly earn her GED, Betty’s greatest joy came from her role as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She furthered her education at Marshalltown Community College and built a meaningful career as a Pharmacy Technician, where her dedication touched countless lives. Betty found joy in life’s simple pleasures: cheering for her beloved KU Jayhawks, Kansas City Chiefs and Royals; tending to her vibrant flower gardens; canning dilly beans; reading her Bible daily; and spending countless hours with her grandchildren. Her home was a place of welcome — especially on the Fourth of July when country music played from the porch and laughter echoed in the yard. She was known for her unforgettable BBQ chicken wings and meatballs, and for t-shirts that proudly displayed her faith or made you laugh. If you visited Betty, you were likely welcomed by the watchful presence of her beloved dogs. Bubba, Bitsy, Bella, and Samson were more than pets—they were faithful guardians and cherished her.
She is survived by her husband, Scott; children Amber (Judd) Sorell of Clifton, Ashley (Kyle) Peters of Linn, and Brett (Kelsey Longpine) Finkbiner of Parker, CO; 11 grandchildren; Gunnar, Kyrah, Presleigh, Ryder, Baileigh, Brooklynn, Breckyn, Haidyn, Gage, Kreux, and Stetson, each of whom brought her immense joy and filled her heart with love, her best friend, Barb (Ray) Knox of Clifton and countless friends whose lives she touched. She was preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Norma Hicks, and her brother Thomas.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 5, 2025, from 1–8 p.m. at Chaput Mortuary in Clyde, with family receiving friends from 6–7 p.m. A funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at Faith United Presbyterian Church in Clifton, officiated by Ron Elasser. Burial will follow at IOOF Cemetery, Clifton. A luncheon will be held after the service at the American Legion Post #227 in Clifton.
In honor of Betty’s lifelong love for children and faith, memorial contributions may be made to Linn Lutheran School in care of Chaput Mortuary, PO Box 291, Clyde, KS 66938. Betty's legacy lives on in the beauty she cultivated in her garden, the recipes for her home cooked meals, the faith she lived with purpose, and the love and laughter she sparked in every heart that knew her.