Elizabeth Loretta Wagner Lightfoot, 91, passed away at her home on September 5, 2026, after a brief battle with complications of osteoporosis.

Beth was born and raised in Queens, New York, and was often in the company of her maternal grandmother, noted photographer Pearl Grace Loehr. After graduating from Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, Beth traveled with her father, a colonel in the U.S. Army, to his duty station on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. While in Okinawa, Beth met and married Marion Lightfoot, a U.S. Air Force F-86 fighter pilot stationed at Kadena Air Base. Family legend has it that their relationship was the inspiration for the movie An Officer and a Gentleman. After leaving the air force, Beth and Marion moved to Mentor, Ohio and had three children, Lisa, Keith and Marya. The family relocated multiple times due to job transfers, including Lafayette, Indiana, Lebanon, Tennessee, Houston, Texas, Jenks, Oklahoma, Larned, Kansas, and Carroll, Ohio. Beth and Marion divorced in 1982 and Beth returned to Larned, Kansas. Beth worked at First State Bank in Larned for the next 20 years. Upon retiring, she relocated to Arkansas City, Kansas in 2002. Beth was a caring, selfless and compassionate parent and friend to all and she would gladly give her last penny to someone in need.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Col. Chester T. Wagner and Margaret Mary Mahoney, and her brother Chester “Skip” (Beverly) Wagner. She is survived by her eldest daughter Lisa (Randy) Vetter, Arkansas City, Kansas, and grandchildren Tarl (Joy) Vetter, Winfield, Kansas, and Mika (Rory) Havens, Arkansas City, Kansas; her favorite son, Keith (Kenna) Lightfoot, Severance, Colorado, and grandchildren Lauren Lightfoot, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Logan Lightfoot, Larned, Kansas; and her youngest daughter Marya (Lance) Lightfoot-Bing, Augusta, Kansas, and grandchildren Chance Bosley, Wichita, Kansas, Layne Bosley, Augusta, Kansas, Wright Bosley, Augusta. Kansas, Shane Bosley, Kansas City, Kansas, and Wynn Bosley, Lawrence, Kansas; and five great grandchildren and the Wagner clan in the Niagara Falls, New York area, including beloved sister-in-law Beverly and nieces and nephews Wendy, Chester, Eric, Gretchen, and Stacey, and their extended families. The family will hold a private celebration of her life later this year.

Beth requested that her ashes be spread on the 50-yard-line at Arrowhead Stadium by that “beautiful man” Travis Kelce. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.