Betty Thompson

Betty J Thompson, age 90, of St. Charles, passed away August 15, 2013, surrounded by the love of her family at Presence Pine View Care Center in Geneva. Betty was born May 19, 1923 the daughter of Scott and Hazel (Sheldon) Washburn, in Kaneville, IL where she attended local schools before graduating from Elburn High School. Betty grew up on her family’s small farm in Elburn on Johnson’s Mound. Betty attended local schools. She would always tell the story of how she and her brother would ride a horse to school. She was a cheerleader for Elburn High school, where she graduated in the early 1940’s. Betty’s brother Bill had a friend, Frank Thompson, who would often visit the house. Frank and Betty had a friendship that surely became love. Knowing he was heading to war, Frank asked Betty to be his wife. Before long the two were wed on June 17, 1941 in Aurora, IL. While Frank was in Europe, Betty supported herself as a model and clerk for a department store in Aurora. When Frank returned from war the couple moved to California and lived there for a short time before returning to Aurora where they raised their family for the next 33 years. In 1979 Frank and Betty moved to Cary Illinois to work for their son’s recreational vehicle business and enjoy retirement. In 2003, following Frank’s passing; Betty became a resident at Carriage Oak’s Retirement Center in St. Charles. Betty devoted her life to caring for her family. She was fortunate to stay home and dedicated her life to her six children, always attending to their needs. Betty and Frank loved to travel throughout the years. They traveled together across the US and Hawaii always held a special place in her heart. The two also shared their love of music and dancing. Betty was an avid sports fan and you could always find her rooting on her favorite Chicago sports teams. While at home she enjoyed her leisure time at home working on crossword puzzles, reading books, bird watching and gardening. With all of these interests, there was still nothing more important to her than her family. As devoted to her children as she was, she was even more devoted to her grandchildren. She always had a great relationship with her children’s spouses and made lifelong friends with Frank’s sisters.SURVIVORS: Betty is survived by her six children:Randy (Mikie) Thompson, of Bull Valley, IL,Rex "Tuck" (Anita) Thompson, of Crystal Lake, IL,Debby (Gary) Becker, of Geneva, IL,Ron Thompson, of Crystal Lake, IL,Rick (Pauline) Thompson, of Cary, IL,KC (Lyndon) Olson, of Mundelein, IL;Seventeen grandchildren, three great grandchildren.Sister-in-law Eleanor WashburnPRECEDED:Betty is preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband Frank, brothers Bud McKnight and Bill Washburn, a sister Catherine McKnight, a grandson in infancy, Joseph Becker, grandson-in-law Kyle Brown, and her two close sister-in-laws Bette Proctor and Marge McCabe.VISITATION / FUNERAL Visitation will be held Monday August 19, 2013 from 4-6:30 at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn. A funeral service celebrating Betty’s life will begin at 7pm following visitation. MEMORIAL A memorial has been established in their name to benefit: Checks may be made to the "Name Memorial" and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address or on the web at www.conleycare.com.

Visitation will be held Monday August 19, 2013 from 4-6:30 at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn. A funeral service celebrating Betty’s life will begin at 7pm following visitation.