Betty Lou Burnham Burum was born on July 10, 1929, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Harry Theodore Burnham and Alice Dunlap Beymer Burnham.  She passed away January 6, 2026.

Betty attended Colorado A&M, where she met her future husband, Earl. They were married in Gering, Nebraska, in 1949. Together, they raised four children Jim Burum, Jerry Burum of Naples, FL, Joe Burum of Naples FL and Jan Burum Macy of Olathe, KS.

A devoted mother and community member, Betty was deeply involved in her children’s lives and activities, particularly through the Boy Scouts, where she was a den mother and active volunteer. Throughout her life, she held a variety of meaningful and interesting positions, including Home Service Director for Iowa Southern Utilities in Centerville, Iowa; Chief Cook for several Boy Scout camps and Promotion Director for College Square Shopping Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  She also had her own radio and TV cooking shows.

After relocating with Earl to Overland Park, Kansas, Betty attended the Wilton School of Cake Decorating. She went on to teach cake decorating at Sears and Metcalf South for nine years. Baking became both a passion and a gift she joyfully shared with others, as she loved creating cakes and making people happy through her work. “Betty B” became the name for her professional endeavors.

Betty was an active member of Chapter HN of P.E.O. Sisterhood (https://peo-portal.com/donations?step=0) and Indian Heights United Methodist Church (https://indianheightsumc.org/give/). She also supported the Parkinson’s Foundation Heartland Chapter (www.parkinson.org/heartland).

She was preceded in death by her husband, G. Earl Burum and her sister, Jo Ann Sperry, her son Jim Burum and her son-in-law Dave Macy.  She cherished her children and their families including Jim’s daughters Loree Burum McBeth and Nicol Burum Dold, Jerry and Susan Burum and their daughters Allie Burum Schellhammer and Ashley Burum Culbertson, Joe Burum and his wife Melissa Bass, Joe’s daughters Stephanie Burum Vasconcellos, Jocelyn Burum Brown; Jan Macy and her daughters Jessica Macy and Danielle Macy; 22 great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews who loved her deeply.

The memorial service will be at Indian Heights United Methodist Church, 10211 Nall Ave, Overland Park, KS, on February 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. with a reception following.