Betty Chapman

The Quincy sun was bright, warm with dancing light, 94 years ago. A baby smiled. Her parents smiled. A world sparkled with life. Tulips and rainbows. Dutch pragmatism and artistic flair. A life aware. A baby smiled for a future untold. A child grew. A child who laughed and danced and saw heartbreaking loss much too soon. A sweet and brave little brother left his toy soldiers to play with the angels above. The joy of a new life. A little sister born and her smiles of love and beautiful laughter. A sister of compassion and kindness and a caring heart. A child grew and saw artistic designs in patterns and the delicate arch of a shoe. A beautiful young lady drawing magic on paper. The solemn elation of a war's end and a love of country. A beautiful young lady full of life, slight of frame and strong of will. She found her Bill. A soldier and a gentleman. She found love and a family of trains and laughter. Husband and wife. A wedded life. Joining hands with promise, passion, and love. A beginning of together gentle as the lift of a butterfly's wings. A world of new reality. She found love in two little girls. Sisters of sunshine. Delicate soul one who brought complete joy after each day of worry and love. Angel of gossamer. A little girl who grew up to be a beautiful woman and could speak with the wisdom of the ages. Another little girl, mischievous and reflective, who loved the flow of words and water. A steadfast love of her family. All-encompassing. A beautiful lady found love in the precious arms of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Innocence, beauty, blessings all. Sacred gifts of the present and future. She found love in the families who joined hers and in her families of friendships. She found love in the family of furry faces whose love spoke with each brush of a tail and dancing paw. She found love. She finds love still. Continual. Renewing. It never ends. All comes full circle with love and grace. Each cherished face. The smiles capture the sunbeams just as a raindrop falls.

Betty Jeannine was born on June 20, 1929, to her wonderful parents, Rollie and Millie (Smith) Bogart in Quincy, Illinois. She was blessed with a brother, brave little Bobby, who left this world as a child, but left behind so many happy memories. She was blessed with Barbara, a compassionate, caring sister who filled the world with beautiful laughter. Betty met her husband, William Chapman, her Bill, when they both attended business college in Portsmouth, Ohio. Their first date was a dance and they have been dancing ever since. They married and were blessed with two daughters, Lisa and Leigh. Travels took them to many places where they found history, joy, and beautiful people along the way. Our pets were our family and were so cherished along life's journey. Betty began a career in shoe design at Selby Shoe Company and then began a career of love at home watching over our Lisa. She always found time to volunteer and was honored to be chosen Woman of the Year while living in Pleasanton, Texas. Betty, Bill, and Lisa moved to Billings, Montana, later in life to be closer to their family, Leigh, TJ, Megan, and Ryan. Nana, Grandpa Bill, and Auntie Lisa blessed Megan and Ryan with countless beautiful memories.

Betty had to say goodbye to her Bill and Lisa much too soon. She was ready to see them again when God called her home on the evening of November 20, 2023. Our family takes solace and joy knowing she is with them once again. Bill has been waiting a long time for their next dance. Lisa has been watched over by her beloved Aunt Barbara. She always said she wanted to be a registered nurse like her Aunt Barb and now she has her mother and aunt together with her. Betty joins her Bogart and Chapman families and is laughing again with her sister, Barb, and her sister-in-law, Joan. She joins all her special friends and all the sweet pets who have been waiting for her so patiently. It is fitting that the last poem read to her by Leigh on the morning of November 20 was a poem from a treasured family poetry book about a dog waiting for his person to come home.

The last three years of Betty's life were made possible by the care and love of our family at The Villa at River Ridge Assisted Living. With gratitude to them she was blessed with so many more memories. Her great-grandsons, Louis and Logan, shall remember Nana and she knew joy in the birth of her great-granddaughter, Millie.

Yellow has a theme within our family. Yellow was the color of the Bogart family farmhouse that Betty remembered so fondly when visiting her grandparents. Yellow was the color of the little canaries her mother tended back to health when they arrived injured to the store where Betty's father was manager. Yellow is the color of the sunshine of our Lisa-so special in all the ways that matter most. Yellow is the color of love.

Some of the names in this legacy of love are written here and all names are written in our hearts. Our family remembers her-Leigh and TJ Smith; Megan, John, Louis, Logan Capra; Ryan, Maggie, Millie Smith; Mike and Connie Capra; Larry and Julie Miller; Kelly, Mark, Julie and their families; Pastor Dave, First Presbyterian Church, and Marjorie with Care Team. Our wonderful family of friends over the years-Ann, Shane and family; Lona, Glenn and family; Bob and Merilee; Marilyn and Ray; Nikki; Elaine; Krystina. All the lovely people at Stillwater Hospice-Mindy, Stacy, Jody, Abe and the gift of a last prayer by Chaplain John. Our forever River Ridge family-Tina, Rayann, Darcie, Tabby, Kelsi, Keiran, Kayla, Heather, Kim, Zach, Alyx, Charity, Tiffany, Mady, Talon and Jennifer, McKenzie, Summer, Yuki. Our forever River Ridge family-Jack, Steve, Frank, Pat, Charliene, Ruth, Phyllis, Darwin and Janice, Phyllis, Janet, Dennis, Sheila, Spener. We honor the memories of Cathi, Mary, Susan, Tom, Sally, Hubert.

Our family says a special prayer of love and gratitude for our Jack and sweet Kelsi for being with our Mother and Nana at a sacred time. We were there because you were there.

Betty and Bill

Oh, how we danced.

Oh, how we are dancing