Betty Ann Wilson

Betty Ann Wilson was born on December 24, 1932, the second of three children born to James M. Pearcy and Lola Glassburn Pearcy, at home in rural Cass County, Indiana. The family soon moved to a farm on the edge of Peru, Indiana where Betty grew up riding horses on the bridle paths thru the hills on the banks of the Wabash River. She learned to drive when her dad turned her loose in a 2-ton truck in a harvested cornfield. She graduated from Peru High School in the spring of 1951.

Betty married her sweetheart, Ralph Wilson Jr., on December 30, 1951 at her home church, Main Street Methodist in Peru. Ralph and Betty had two children, Faith and Brad, delivered by the same doctor who had delivered Betty at home on the farm.

The family moved to Addison, IL in 1959. A few years later Ralph received a call to ministry and Betty became a pastor’s wife. She also began working outside the home continuing working full time till the age of 82. She first worked for Littlefuse, then the Hinckley State Bank, Chrysler Automotive in Belvidere, Pacific Scientific/Honeywell in Rockford. When her husband of 32 years passed away, Betty moved back to Indiana in order to care for her aging parents. Betty began working for the city, running the Peru Civic Center where she managed the banquet facility as well as being the head chef. After some years, she went to work for the Miami County Museum as an assistant curator, her favorite job. She finally retired at the age of 82, moving back to Illinois to be closer to her children whom she regularly visited.

She fought thru cancer in 2022 going back to her normal life. She loved fixing huge dinners for her large extended family. Her pies were legendary. She collected family recipes and worked to perfect them over the years, converting “a pinch of this and a handful of that” into teaspoons and cups.

She and her sister Margaret became forensic genealogists, hunting down the family lineage for generations past, going as far as into the AD 1200’s. Betty was a skilled artist, painting with oils, acrylics, and watercolors. She loved gardening, sewing, crocheting and made quilts and afghans for the whole family. She was a student of the Bible, teaching and leading groups for years in Women of the Word Bible Study.

Betty’s faith in Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior was strong and contagious, sustaining her through the trials of life. Her Lord called her home after just one week of needing someone to be with 24/7, ending her last battle with brain cancer which she won on Sunday evening November 12, 2023 with family around her.
Faith and Brad will always remember their mother’s love, her warm heart, her joy filled laugh, and gentle guiding hands.

Betty is survived by her two children Faith Timmerman (Rex) and Bradford Wilson (Brenda). Six grandchildren, Jeremy Miller (Deanna), Joshua Miller, Braeden Wilson (Jodi), Eileen Crume (Travis), Colum Wilson (Jan), and Cory Wilson. Ten great-grandchildren, Allison Renteria (Lalo), Alex Miller, Jeff Miller, Grant Wilson, Marie Wilson, Jonah Wilson, Naomi Wilson, Maxwell Crume, and Levi Crume. And one great-great-grandchild, Scarlett Renteria, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, both her parents, and one grandson Scott Stone.

Cremation care has been provided by Torman Funeral Home, Paw Paw. A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, November 17, 2023, at the Paw Paw United Methodist Church in Paw Paw, IL. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Please visit www.tormanfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest book.