Bette J. Tien was born September 7, 1936 on a farm near Prairie View in Phillips County, KS.  She was the youngest of five children born to Jake and Bertha (Lokhorst) Van Loenen.  She lived on the family farm until she was 10 years old.  She moved with her parents to an acreage near Prairie View that they lovingly called "Bunker Hill".

Bette was baptized in the Prairie View Reformed Church where she also made her profession of faith and married.  She later transferred her membership to the Luctor Christian Reformed Church.

Bette started her education in a one-room country school called Prairie Queen.  Her oldest brother, Gerald, was her first teacher.  She graduated from Prairie View High School in 1953.

She moved to Norton, KS where she worked in a bank as a bookkeeper.  She then enrolled in college at Fort Hays to obtain her degree as a registered nurse.  Her first employment was in Alma, NE where she worked until her first child Kelly was born.  Then she began working at the Phillips County Hospital.  In the early 1970's there was a shortage of doctors and so a program was started for registered nurses to become nurse practitioners.  This education was obtained from Wichita State University.

The Phillips County Hospital's Long Term Care was also in need of a licensed administrator, so Bette attended another semester of college to obtain a license.  Bette worked in many fields of nursing, including volunteer work.

Bette married Clarence Tien in 1956 and together they made their home in a little community called Luctor.  This was their home for 63 years.  Their two sons were born in 1958 and 1962.

Bette looked forward to tending to her flower beds every day.  She also loved to read books pertaining to the Civil War.  She loved her Dutch heritage.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Gerald, brother and sister-in-law, Buford and Anna Van Loenen, one sister and brother-in-law, Wilmer and Marie Hogan.  She was also preceded in death by her niece, Amy Van Loenen, 2 nephews, Buford Jr. Van Loenen and Lauren and his wife Joyce Hogan;  her brother-in-law, Henry Tien and wife Ann, sister-in-law, Thelma VaanDrager and husband Kenneth, and her very dearest friend lb.

Survivors include her husband Clarence; 2 sons, Kelly and wife Jayne of Sedalia, CO, Jan and wife Dian of Prairie View; 6 grandchildren: Matt Tien and wife Lauren of Arvada, CO, Morgan Burbaker and husband Josh of Castle Rock, CO, Connor Tien of Los Angeles, CA, Jake Tien and wife Enchantra of Prairie View, KS, Autumn Breese and husband Dustin of Logan, KS and Samantha Tien of Kansas City, MO; 10 great grandchildren: Keegan Breese, Zophina Benton, Sutton Breese, Aleeah Tien, Scarlet Benton, Emmiline Tien, Everlee Breese, Abigail Tien, Amelia Tien and Cooper Tien with one great grandchild on the way; her sister-in-law June Van Loenen of Phillipsburg, KS, brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Barb Van Loenen of Madison, WI, sister-in-law Wanda and husband Calvin Schemper of Prairie View, KS, Brother-in-law Marion Tien and wife Joyce of Prairie View, KS and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Tues. May 23 at 10:00 a.m. in the Luctor Christian Reformed Church with Pastor Shawn Richardson officiating. The services will be streamed live on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page. Burial will follow in the Luctor Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:00 Monday at the funeral home with the family receiving friends from 6:30 to 7:30.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Willa Cather Foundation, the Logan Life Project or the Church.