Betty R. Walsh

Betty R. Walsh, 83, of Cantrall, died at 1:20 p.m. on Monday, August 31, 2015 at her home, surrounded by her family. She was born September 12, 1931 in Springfield, the daughter John W. Sr. and Helen C. Stockton Ramey. She married Thomas J. Walsh on October 22, 1949 in Athens. He preceded her in death in January 2001. Betty was a homemaker for several years before going to work at Memorial Hospital, retiring after 10 years of service. She loved all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren very much. Betty helped to raise one of her grandsons from the time he was just a baby. He was more like a son to her than just a grandson. But, not only did she take care of him, she also took care of her other grandchildren as well, babysitting for most of them while their parents worked. Along with her husband, she nursed one grandson back to health who was not expected to live to be a year old. Thanks in part to all of their help; he is now an adult and doing very well. Betty was always ready to help in any way she could. She took care of her father until he died and allowed her sister-in-law and kids to live with them while Betty's brother was stationed overseas. She was a peacemaker, never wanting to see anyone fight, always wanting everyone just to get along. Betty always joked about having their own family emergency room at the hospital during the summer as at least one of the kids was there every year. Betty would have baking parties with her oldest grandkids. She would make cookies with them and let them put on the icing. Not sure how much icing got on the cookies as they would have icing fights! Raising nine kids wasn't easy, but Betty loved every minute of it. When she was a young girl, Betty had scarlet fever which damaged her eardrums and she could not hear without a hearing aid. She always joked that the way she stayed sane with all of her kids was by just turning off her hearing aid. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Edith Crawford and Helen Thomas; and brother John W. Ramey, Jr. Betty is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth (Lee) Brown of Ashland and Susan (Rick) Wise of Auburn; seven sons, Thomas, Jr. (Deb) of Athens, Michael (Charlene) of Cantrall, Patrick of Chatham, Kevin of Cantrall, James of Cantrall, Richard (Susan) of Springfield and Charles (Niki) of Salem, IN; sixteen grandchildren, Christina Wise, Deborah Wise, Andrea (Chris) Wheat, Sean Wise, Debbie (Dustin) Warren, Jenifer Skaggs, Mike (Nina) Walsh, Jake (Hailey) Walsh, Brett Walsh, Sean Walsh, Kelby Walsh, Ellie Walsh, Luke Walsh, Morgan Walsh, Bailey Walsh, and Grace Clark; three step-granddaughters, Debbie, Sarah and Kaley; nine great-grandchildren, Thomas Wise, Matthew Pressler, Jr., Gavyn Brown, Erin Wheat, Darcie Warren, Kadance Skaggs, Hunter Wheat, Declan Walsh, and Arabella Walsh; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and one sister, Dorothy Nolan. Visitation: Family will receive friends from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2015 at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St. Springfield. Visitation will begin with a prayer service at 4:00 p.m. Funeral Mass: 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 4, 2015 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 1345 N. 6th St., Springfield, with Rev. Steven A. Janoski officiating. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to: St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1345 N. 6th St., Springfield, IL 62702; American Diabetes Association, Springfield Office, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 210, Springfield, IL 62704; or the American Cancer Society, 675 E. Linton Ave., Springfield, IL 62703.