Elizabeth "Beth" Eileen Simnitt

Elizabeth “Beth” Eileen (Meyer) Simnitt passed away May 5th, 2023.

Beth was born on June 27, 1925, in Hollenberg, Kansas to John and Salome (Seitz) Meyer. Beth worked alongside her parents and five brothers doing chores, keeping house, and tending to the farm. She attended school in Hollenberg, Kansas. At sixteen, Beth took the teacher exam and became a teacher in Morrowville, Kansas. She taught sixteen children, in grades 1-8, for three years, until she married.

She married Howard Simnitt on April 21, 1945. The two raised two boys, Lonnie, born in 1946, and Scott, born in 1948.

She and Howard farmed in Washington, Kansas and later in Warsaw, MO for a year, until a drought struck. They traded their farm for a meat locker in Lexington, MO. The meat locker was the first of its kind in the state of Missouri. Together, Howard and Beth became an integral part of the Lexington community, working together to make the locker plant a staple in town. With their boys grown, they sold the meat locker and embarked on a new adventure in Chillicothe, where Howard managed the local MFA grain elevator. With the boys expanding their families, Howard and Beth returned to Lexington after Howard’s retirement to be closer to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They also used retirement as an opportunity to travel. They visited every state, except Alaska.

During Beth’s life, she was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church where she served on many committees and outreach groups. She was especially proud of her sleeping bag program, My Brother’s Keeper. Over the decades of sewing sleeping bags, My Brother’s Keeper helped provide sleeping bags for thousands of homeless in the Kansas City area. Beth was also an avid reader, crafter, and baker. On most days she could be found in her basement sewing room, creating keepsakes for her family.

Beth is survived by a son, Scott of Lexington, granddaughter Jean and husband Dustin of Lee’s Summit, two grandsons, Shane and wife Rhonda of Lexington, and Bryce and wife Missy of Kansas City. Beth is also survived by four great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild: Megan and Erin and fiance’ Andy all of Lexington, and Kyle and Kaelyn of Kansas City, and Cord of Lexington. Also surviving are two brothers and a sister-in law John and Delbert (Sue) Meyer.

Beth was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Howard, son Lonny, daughters-in law Diane and Mickey, brothers and sisters-in law Paul (Helen), Gerry (Vi), and Calvin (Pauline), and Darlene Meyer.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 10 am at Memory Gardens in Lexington, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to My Brother’s Keeper c/o United Methodist Church, Lexington, MO.