Iona Mae Betche was born on October 25, 1928 in Cloud Chief, OK to William Francis “Frank” and Velda Ada (Walker) Black and passed away with family by her side on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Weatherford, OK at the age of 97.

Iona grew up with her 8 brothers and sisters in the Cowden and Lake Valley, OK areas and attended Star schools.  At a young age, she met the love of her life, Gerald Loyd Betche, and they married on April 5, 1947. They spent the next 42 years together, until Loyd’s passing in 1990.  The couple made their home on one of the Betche family farms in Gotebo, OK, moving briefly to Oklahoma City, OK and Pueblo, CO before returning to their farm.

Iona was a woman of many talents.  She worked alongside Loyd farming cattle, wheat, hay and cotton, at times managing the farm by herself while he drove a truck.  She also worked at an elementary school cafeteria, as a nurse’s aide and, later, as a surgical technician at Cordell Memorial Hospital where she made lifelong friends. Iona and Loyd were very involved in the Gotebo, Mountain View and eventually the Cordell Pentecostal Holiness Church where they sang, made many friends along the way and where Iona sewed, quilted and canned with the Women’s Auxiliary Club. 

In 1952 they welcomed their first son, Robert “Bobby,” nine days before Loyd’s birthday, and in 1956, their second son, Billy, was born just four days before Iona’s birthday.  Her “boys” have fond memories of riding in the tractor with their Mom and working cattle together.  After the boys were raised, the couple decided to move to Cordell, OK, where they lived for many years.

It was in those years that Iona shifted her focus to being a “Granma/Mema.”  From swimming in the cattle trough, bottle feeding an abandoned calf named Rastus,  planting and picking vegetables in her gardens, and cooking and baking, to playing piano, singing hymns, going to church, and making tiny blankets and pillows for their Barbies; there was always an adventure when her grandkids came to her house to visit or stay the night, or when they got to go with her to the farm to check on the cows.

Iona is survived by her sons, Bobby Betche and wife Tammy of Hinton, OK and Billy Betche and Sheila of Lone Wolf, OK; grandkids, Carissa Edwards and husband Tim of Tillamook, OR, Lindsey Betche of Hobart, OK, Kyla McMillon and husband Shawn of Weatherford, OK and Dalton Betche of Clinton, OK; great grandkids, Ariona, Dontae, Tieara and Julliana Elix; great great grandkids, Curtis and Kyrie Hernandez and baby Elix on the way; sisters, Myrtle Dyer of Flower Mound, TX and Lillian Unrah of Enid, OK (who passed just four days after Iona); as well as numerous nieces, nephews, in laws, other relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Ada; husband, Loyd; brothers, Eston, Junior and Laverne; and sisters, Mary Lois, Rosalee and Cathrine.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at Lawnview Cemetery in Cordell, OK with Rev. Dennis King officiating.

Services entrusted to Turner Funeral Home, Hinton, OK.  Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, turnerfh.net, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TurnerFuneralHomes.