SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Betty Ellen (Edwards) Alters, former Galesburg resident, died Sept. 5, 2014, at her Scottsdale residence, where she had lived 10 years. She was 86 years young.
She was preceded in death by her husband, M.M. (Marc). She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Alters Jamison (Bill Jamison) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Myrna Richard (John Richard) and Julie McCracken (Scott McCracken), both of Cave Creek, Arizona; along with her sister, Jane Emerick of Rushville, Illinois; brother- and sister-in-law, Don and Peg Alters of Springfield, Illinois; grandchildren, Erik Nelson (Karen), Kyle Nelson (Tatyana), Brock Richard, Heather Jamison Neale (JB); great-grandchildren, Riley, Bronwyn, and Chloe; many nieces and nephews; and grand-dog, Rocky.
Betty was born in Rushville, Illinois, but lived most of her adult life in Galesburg, where she was an active member of First Baptist Church until her move to Arizona. Betty taught 4th and 5th grades at Steele and Nielson Middle Schools, and Silas Willard Elementary. She delighted kids with her amazing Halloween costumes, room decorations, and enthusiasm for the written word, and she positively influenced thousands of young people. Betty made the world's best apple crisp. She loved to eat at the Taco Hideout. No one was a bigger fan of the Galesburg Silver Streaks, the St. Louis Cardinals, or the Phoenix Mercury. She was a talented athlete herself, and tried out in the 1940s for the Peoria (IL) Redwings professional women's baseball team, showcased in the movie "A League of Their Own." She loved travel and instilled a love of it in her daughters. Well into her mid-70s, she was hot air ballooning in Australia and attending cooking school in France.
Memorial celebration will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church Chapel, Scottsdale. Arrangements through Messinger Mortuary, Scottsdale. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to Banner Alzheimer's Institute through Banner Alzheimer's Foundation (banneralz.org), Desert Botanical Garden (dbg.org/tribute), or Hospice of the Valley (hov.org), all in Phoenix.
She was preceded in death by her husband, M.M. (Marc). She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Alters Jamison (Bill Jamison) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Myrna Richard (John Richard) and Julie McCracken (Scott McCracken), both of Cave Creek, Arizona; along with her sister, Jane Emerick of Rushville, Illinois; brother- and sister-in-law, Don and Peg Alters of Springfield, Illinois; grandchildren, Erik Nelson (Karen), Kyle Nelson (Tatyana), Brock Richard, Heather Jamison Neale (JB); great-grandchildren, Riley, Bronwyn, and Chloe; many nieces and nephews; and grand-dog, Rocky.
Betty was born in Rushville, Illinois, but lived most of her adult life in Galesburg, where she was an active member of First Baptist Church until her move to Arizona. Betty taught 4th and 5th grades at Steele and Nielson Middle Schools, and Silas Willard Elementary. She delighted kids with her amazing Halloween costumes, room decorations, and enthusiasm for the written word, and she positively influenced thousands of young people. Betty made the world's best apple crisp. She loved to eat at the Taco Hideout. No one was a bigger fan of the Galesburg Silver Streaks, the St. Louis Cardinals, or the Phoenix Mercury. She was a talented athlete herself, and tried out in the 1940s for the Peoria (IL) Redwings professional women's baseball team, showcased in the movie "A League of Their Own." She loved travel and instilled a love of it in her daughters. Well into her mid-70s, she was hot air ballooning in Australia and attending cooking school in France.
Memorial celebration will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church Chapel, Scottsdale. Arrangements through Messinger Mortuary, Scottsdale. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to Banner Alzheimer's Institute through Banner Alzheimer's Foundation (banneralz.org), Desert Botanical Garden (dbg.org/tribute), or Hospice of the Valley (hov.org), all in Phoenix.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Betty Ellen (Edwards) Alters, former Galesburg resident, died Sept. 5, 2014, at her Scottsdale residence, where she had lived 10 years. She was 86 years young.
She was preceded in death by her husband, M.M. (Marc). She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Alters Jamison (Bill Jamison) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Myrna Richard (John Richard) and Julie McCracken (Scott McCracken), both of Cave Creek, Arizona; along with her sister, Jane Emerick of Rushville, Illinois; brother- and sister-in-law, Don and Peg Alters of Springfield, Illinois; grandchildren, Erik Nelson (Karen), Kyle Nelson (Tatyana), Brock Richard, Heather Jamison Neale (JB); great-grandchildren, Riley, Bronwyn, and Chloe; many nieces and nephews; and grand-dog, Rocky.
Betty was born in Rushville, Illinois, but lived most of her adult life in Galesburg, where she was an active member of First Baptist Church until her move to Arizona. Betty taught 4th and 5th grades at Steele and Nielson Middle Schools, and Silas Willard Elementary. She delighted kids with her amazing Halloween costumes, room decorations, and enthusiasm for the written word, and she positively influenced thousands of young people. Betty made the world's best apple crisp. She loved to eat at the Taco Hideout. No one was a bigger fan of the Galesburg Silver Streaks, the St. Louis Cardinals, or the Phoenix Mercury. She was a talented athlete herself, and tried out in the 1940s for the Peoria (IL) Redwings professional women's baseball team, showcased in the movie "A League of Their Own." She loved travel and instilled a love of it in her daughters. Well into her mid-70s, she was hot air ballooning in Australia and attending cooking school in France.
Memorial celebration will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church Chapel, Scottsdale. Arrangements through Messinger Mortuary, Scottsdale. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to Banner Alzheimer's Institute through Banner Alzheimer's Foundation (banneralz.org), Desert Botanical Garden (dbg.org/tribute), or Hospice of the Valley (hov.org), all in Phoenix.
She was preceded in death by her husband, M.M. (Marc). She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Alters Jamison (Bill Jamison) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Myrna Richard (John Richard) and Julie McCracken (Scott McCracken), both of Cave Creek, Arizona; along with her sister, Jane Emerick of Rushville, Illinois; brother- and sister-in-law, Don and Peg Alters of Springfield, Illinois; grandchildren, Erik Nelson (Karen), Kyle Nelson (Tatyana), Brock Richard, Heather Jamison Neale (JB); great-grandchildren, Riley, Bronwyn, and Chloe; many nieces and nephews; and grand-dog, Rocky.
Betty was born in Rushville, Illinois, but lived most of her adult life in Galesburg, where she was an active member of First Baptist Church until her move to Arizona. Betty taught 4th and 5th grades at Steele and Nielson Middle Schools, and Silas Willard Elementary. She delighted kids with her amazing Halloween costumes, room decorations, and enthusiasm for the written word, and she positively influenced thousands of young people. Betty made the world's best apple crisp. She loved to eat at the Taco Hideout. No one was a bigger fan of the Galesburg Silver Streaks, the St. Louis Cardinals, or the Phoenix Mercury. She was a talented athlete herself, and tried out in the 1940s for the Peoria (IL) Redwings professional women's baseball team, showcased in the movie "A League of Their Own." She loved travel and instilled a love of it in her daughters. Well into her mid-70s, she was hot air ballooning in Australia and attending cooking school in France.
Memorial celebration will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church Chapel, Scottsdale. Arrangements through Messinger Mortuary, Scottsdale. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to Banner Alzheimer's Institute through Banner Alzheimer's Foundation (banneralz.org), Desert Botanical Garden (dbg.org/tribute), or Hospice of the Valley (hov.org), all in Phoenix.
