Betty Elinor Wagoner, 93, loving wife and mother of three, of Avon, Indiana, and formerly of Kinmundy, LaPlace, and Marshall, Illinois passed away at 7:43 am, Friday, October 28, 2022, at the Traditions of Reagan Park, in Avon, Indiana.
Betty was born on August 31, 1929, in Brush, Colorado, the daughter of Don and Evelyn (Williams) Bouseman. She was raised primarily by her mother and grandmother who helped to support their families from a young age. She married Paul William Wagoner, on September 7, 1946, in Iuka, Illinois and they shared 64 years of marriage before he preceded her in death on April 18, 2011.
Betty was known for her love of family, great faith in God, and caregiving heart. Betty lived out her Christian walk with service to her family, neighbors and friends. It might have been a loaf of homemade bread, a Tea Ring, a pie or a complete meal.
At the age of 40, Betty attended beauty school and had a beauty shop in her home in LaPlace for many years until she retired and moved back to Kinmundy.
After retirement, she sat with some seniors and took them on errands. They appreciated her and she showed them the love of Jesus.
Betty had a passion for playing games and an even bigger passion for winning any game she played. Her children have memories of their childhood of her saying that “if we hurried and got our chores done, then we could play”. She continued that tradition with her grandchildren. Betty and Sue played for hours. Sue told her that her obituary would read that she played games until her dying day which was close to being the case.
Sue says she definitely learned her work ethic from her mom. Whether it was picking strawberries, working in the daffodils, canning, cleaning, gardening or working at a job, Betty was always busy.
Betty was an avid quilter. Her beautiful quilts will be treasured by all family members who received one.
Although she will be missed, the family rests in the assurance that she is in Heaven. Betty accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior as a child and is saved by His Grace. She attended church faithfully and taught Sunday school.
Betty is survived by her daughter: Sue (J.S. “Kirk”) Kirkpatrick of Avon, Indiana; 6 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; 4 great great grandchildren; her siblings: Mary Kneemyer of Wayne City, Illinois, Margaret Olden of Salem, Illinois; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Paul William Wagoner; daughter: Brenda Phipps; son: John Paul Wagoner; 3 brothers: John, Andrew, and Russell Bouseman.
Graveside services to honor the life of Betty will be held at 3:00 pm Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at the Elder Cemetery, rural Kinmundy. Following the service a meal for family and friends will be held at Sharon’s in Salem, if you plan to attend please RSVP with Sue at 317-709-6413. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Brown Christian Church Benevolent Fund and can be mailed to the funeral home, PO Box 25, Kinmundy, Illinois 62854. The McGriff Funeral Home in Kinmundy is entrusted with the care and arrangements. To sign the guestbook online or share a memory of Betty please visit www.mcgriffandtriplettfh.com.
