Elizabeth Frances (Peters) Kostelac died in her sleep at the family home after an extended illness on March 29th, 2011. She was born on October 18th, 1924 the only child of George C. Peters & Jennie B. (Hare) Peters. Services will be Saturday April 2, 2011 at Redemptorist Parish, 3333 Broadway. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with a mass at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Betty was a lifelong resident of the Hyde Park neighborhood attending Hyde Park Grade school. She attended both Westport junior & senior high schools where she was a member of the National Honor Society & Glee Club. She lettered in hockey, baseball, basketball & swimming. After business school she worked as a bookkeeper/secretary for thirteen years by Hogsett, Houts, James, Randall & Hogsett law firm. It was there where she met her husband Joseph in 1956. She worked 25 years for Midwest Contractor magazine & 5 years with Collins Lithoplate. Betty spent many of her younger years at Plamor where her mother was the ballroom cashier. Betty was a lifeguard & swimming instructor, a rink guard & instructor in ice skating & roller skating. She was an accomplished ballroom dancer & member of the Plamor travelling women's bowling team. Betty was a longtime volunteer with several area organizations to include: Notre Dame de Sion, St. Mary's & Trinity Lutheran Hospitals. She was a long time member of the Kansas City Rose Society, Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, Westport Crime Prevention Committee & the Citizen's Crusade Against Crime. She was one of the original founders of the Hyde Park Crime Patrol, member of the McGruff steering committee & helped establish the DARE program in Kansas City schools. Because of her involvement fighting crime she received many awards & accolades from several civic & government entities. Betty dearly loved her neighbors, neighborhood & her historic 114 year old home where she resided for 51 years. Betty is survived by her husband Joseph, son, M. Christian Kostelac, daughter-in-law, Denise Kostelac, grandchildren, Avery (14), Colby (11), Tasha (8), & other family members. Betty enjoyed ice skating, swimming, tennis, water skiing, bicycling & attending hockey games, & flower gardening Betty was blessed with inner & outer beauty & was a friend to all. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions in memory of Betty to: The Redemptorist Foundation, 3333 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111 or the Kansas City Athenaeum, 900 E. Linwood Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64109 Fond memories & condolences for the family may be left at www.dwnewcomers.com (Arr: D.W. Newcomer's Sons Stine & McClure Chapel, 3235 Gillham Plaza, KCMO 64109, 816-931-7777) D.W. Newcomer's Sons Funeral Homes, Cemeteries, Crematories.
Published in Kansas City Star on March 31, 2011