Betty Imogene Gambreal

Betty Imogene Gambreal, 89, of Kansas City, Missouri passed away on August 20, 2023.

Betty was born on February 20, 1934, in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee. She was the youngest of eight children born to James “Jim” and Addie (Bumpus) Blackwell.  When she was 14 years old, her family moved to Clarksville, TN where she met the love of her life, Grover Gambreal. It didn’t take long before they were married, and from this marriage they were blessed with two daughters. Grover’s job as a Baptist minister took them from Tennessee to Kentucky and then in 1969, they moved to the Kansas City area.

Betty was the rock of the family always supporting those she loved, and it was known that when she had something to say everyone listened. Both within her household and her career, Betty was naturally proficient at bookkeeping. She worked for several years for Carpet Distributors. In her spare time, she enjoyed camping, and she and her family often took trips to Wallace and Watkins Mill State Parks. She shared her creativity through her paintings and home décor, and nothing could beat her down-home, southern cooking. She gained a love of flowers from her mother-in-law and since then Betty has continued to keep her own flower garden. Family and church were always the most important aspects of her life, and she was a longtime member of Antioch Community Church.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents; husband of 63 years, Grover Gambreal; and oldest daughter, Reba D. Asby. She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her daughter, Pat Gambreal and wife, Joy Gambreal of KCMO; grandson, Christopher Asby & wife, Michelle of Liberty, MO & her great-grandchildren, Avry, Brayden and Addison Asby; extended family, son-in-law, David Asby & wife, Lynda of KCMO, granddaughter, Kristin Didde and husband, Shawn of KCMO & her great-grandchildren Kaydence & Brandon and grandson, Byron Devlin and wife, Emily of KCMO & her great grandchildren Madeline, Eloise and Reese.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Terrace Park Funeral Home on Thursday, August 24, with visitation from 6pm-7pm, followed by the funeral home at 7pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.