Betty Joan Maclaskey was born in Gridley, Ks, on June 17, 1931, to Walter and Bertha Maclaskey. Walter worked in the oil fields and Bertha was a homemaker. Walter moved his family to Emporia for a short time then to Virgil where he started his oil and water hauling and tank cleaning business.

Betty graduated from Virgil High School in 1949 and went to Pecks Beauty School in Emporia. She took her State Board in 1950 and moved to Chanute, Ks where she worked for Vivian Brennan at the Main St Beauty Shop. She met Wilford Goff (Willie as she called him) when he returned home from the Korean War and after a two-week courtship were married on December 28, 1951, in Bentonville, Arkansas. Their first military assignment together was to Camp Cook, CA. In 1952 Betty took down with polio and they were transferred to Fort Riley, KS, so she would be closer to family for help. Their only child a daughter, Vonna was born on February 26, 1953. Wilford made the Army his career, so the family traveled and lived in many wonderful places such as Iowa, Panama, California, and Hawaii. When Wilford's Americal Division was sent to Vietnam in 1968, Betty and Vonna moved back to Virgil. Wilford retired in 1971 and they made their home in Virgil. Betty helped care for her parents, served as the City Clerk for six years, and served on the Virgil Commentary Board for 40 years. Betty also helped her husband run the Half Step Bar and Deli from 1994 to 2013. Betty truly loved the Virgil community, helping care for the cemetery and most of all her friends. She will be dearly missed.

Her greatest joy was her family which includes her daughter Vonna (Doc) Peerson of Rose Hill, granddaughter, Summer (Valientez) Peerson of Wichita, step-granddaughters, Dana (Stephen) Schmitt and Deanna (Tony Stewart) Lane of Towanda, nephew, Kelly (Stacy) Maclaskey of Weatherford, TX, nieces, Becky Maclaskey and Roxanne (Wayne) Siros of Tucson, AZ, ten great step-grandchildren and four -great-great step-grandchildren, her loving dogs, Buddy, Molly and several stray cats around the city of Virgil.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Wilford, in October 2013; by her parents, Walter and Bertha Maclaskey and her brother, Billy Maclaskey.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Virgil Cemetery in Virgil, Kansas and may be sent in care of Campbell Funeral Home, P.O. Box 188, Yates Center, KS 66783