Betty Jo Umble

Betty Jo Umble, age 92 of Prairie City, passed away on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at Mercy One in Des Moines.  Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 10:00 am at the Prairie City United Methodist Church.  Burial will follow at Vandalia Cemetery.  The family will greet friends on Sunday, February 2, 2025, from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at the church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the PCM Elementary Schools to help with students’ breakfast and lunch debts. Checks may be made payable to PCM Elementary School. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com

The daughter of Joseph and Mabel (Moore) Osborn, Betty was born on December 17, 1932, in Leon Iowa.   Betty ‘s family moved from southern Iowa, Leon area to rural Prairie City in 1940 when Betty was eight years old.  She grew up there going to the country school down the road about a half a mile and then onto Prairie City High School.  Betty and three brothers on the farm enjoyed exploring the 160 acres. She spent a lot of time with neighbor kids and the Enyart and Pulver families. Betty graduated from high school in 1951 On June 6, 1952, she was united in  marriage to Mark L. Umble.  Betty and Mark moved to Fort Knox KY while Mark served in the Army for three years. Mark was born in 1953 and Joe in 1954 in Fort Knox Ky. Dan was born in 1956 in Des Moines They moved back to Prairie city in 1955 onto Betty’s parents’ farm and farmed until Mark’s passing in 2015. Betty worked for the Vernon Company and in 1965 went to work at Vander Keith Insurance in Prairie City. Al sold the business to Mike Buitenwerf where she continued to work in the insurance business until she retired in 2002, at age 70.

She enjoyed cooking, playing cards, boardgames and spending time with family and friends. Betty and Mark traveled to Las Vegas yearly, took a cruise one year and traveled to Marti Gras After Mark’s passing in 2015, Betty continued to live in the house she grew up in until 2019. At that time, Betty moved to Prairie city into a condo where she lived until passing.

Preceding Betty in death were her parents, husband, Mark L. Umble,  brothers Don, Eugene and Paul Osborn, sisters-in-laws Virginia Umble, Corinne Osborn and Marilyn Osborn.   Those left to honor her memory include her son Mark (Carol) Umble - their children Nick (Jennifer) Umble and Amber (Chris) Davies; son Joe (Connie) Umble – their children Levi (Amber) Umble and Lacey (Rusty) Gulbranson; son Dan (Melanie) Umble and their children Brad (Becci) Schaefer, Katie (Teddy) Hawley, and Derrick (Seana) Hoodjer. Great Grandchildren Brookelyn Umble, Ashlyn and Dylan Dress, Bradley and Christoher Wade; Hannah Davies; Haylee (Luke) Entz and Hayden Umble; Jasper and Jade  Gulbranson; Amelie, Ceily, and Elodie Schaefer; Braylen, Briley and Rusty Hawley; and Bailey, Henry and twin boys due in June. Betty is also survived by sisters-in-law Karen (Don) Mooty and Beverly Osborn, and many nieces and nephews.