She was born on August 29, 1946, to Glen Herbert and Thelma (Toering) Taken in Artesia, California. Betty Jean grew up in Watertown, South Dakota and graduated from Watertown High School. 

On November 19, 1966, she was united in marriage to Richard Joseph Reed. After their marriage they lived in Mosinee, WI, Toronto, SD, Kansas City, KS and made their home in Trimble, MO. Richard passed away on June 16, 2020.

Betty Jean was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi. She was a bookkeeper for Becker Corporation and Tamko Roofing Company and was an over the road truck driver with her husband for several years. She also served as the court clerk for the City of Trimble. Betty Jean was an avid NASCAR fan, and loved to read, do puzzles, collect light houses and she always made a short story long. Most of all, Betty Jean loved being a mom and grandma. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Glen Taken and Thelma and Norval Urban; sister Cindy Moes; infant sister Karen Faye; father and mother-in-law John Reed and Ruth and Alfred Miller; brothers-in-laws Danny Joe Salisbury, and Robert “Bobby” Reed; and infant brother-in-law Jimmy Reed.

Betty Jean is survived by her children Gwendolyn Beth Reed, Scott (Teresa) Reed, James (Danette) Reed, Dianne (Philip) Steward, and Karin (Steve) Deyo; grandchildren Andrew, Isaiah, Emily, Aliviah, Brice, Trevor, Victoria, Mathew, Zachariah, and Stephen; great-grandson Reid; sister Darlene (David) Buschenfeld and Julia Salisbury; brothers Bob Taken and Les (Kim) Taken; brothers-in-law Alfred Miller, Jr., John (Jean) Reed and Norman “Buck” Reed; sister-in-law Rosie Reed; several nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends. 

Visitation: 9:30-11:00 a.m. with Funeral Services at 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 2nd at Hixson-Klein Funeral Home, Smithville 

Burial: Greenlawn Cemetery, Plattsburg, MO.