Betty Rosanna (Smith) Williamson, 89, passed from her earthly tabernacle to her heavenly residence on May 11, 2019. She was born May 2, 1930, in Brown County, IN, to Melvin and Clara (Roberts) Smith.
Betty attended the first eight years of school at the old Kent School near Gnawbone, IN, later attending Nashville High School. At the age of 16, she married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth Williamson, embarking on a seventy-two and a half journey together. Because she was unable to finish school at that time, she later, while in her thirties, while raising four sons, went to evening classes to finish her degree, graduating in 1971 at the age of forty-one. She often told her sons, “I want you boys to get a good education”, so this attitude became a part of the family DNA.
She was for many years a loving, stay at home mom, filling her days with gardening, canning, raising flowers, and baking delicious meals for her family. If a helping hand was needed at her husband’s construction business, she was more than willing to assist, whether nailing and loading roof trusses, sanding kitchen cabinets, or keeping the company books. As a mom, she was not shy about helping her sons build a pony shed or build a backstop for the baseball diamond created on their property, a popular community draw on Upper Schooner Valley Road.
During the 1970’s, she started working as a cook for the ZBT Fraternity House at Indiana University. Health forced her to resign after an eight to ten year stint, although she later did some occasional work at the Red Door Restaurant in Nashville, IN.
Betty had many wonderful qualities, but her greatest contribution to her family was a decision she made as a young mother to commit her life to the Lord Jesus Christ. From that point forward she was a committed follower. She joined the Nashville, IN (later Parkview) Church of the Nazarene, where for most of four decades she served a number of positions—Sunday School teacher, children’s Bible quiz director, Vacation Bible School helper, church board member, transporting children to church, or wherever needed. In the later years of her life she was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Jasper, IN, later still a member of 1st Church of the Nazarene, Bloomington, IN. During the past four years in the nursing home she would often tell her family, “I pray for you every day”.
She is survived by her husband, Kenneth, four sons—Rick (Gladys)Williamson, Sellersburg, IN; Gary (Shiela) Williamson, Paris, IL: Kevin (Nona) Williamson, Blue Springs, MO; and Jeff (Mindy) Williamson, Bourbonnais, IL. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren, two sisters-Edith Whittington, Columbus, IN, and Peggy Hamblen of Seymour, IN. A brother, Robert (Bobby) Smith, died at age twelve from leukemia. Her parents also preceded her in death.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Garden Villa Rehab Center in Bloomington, IN, as well as Southern Care for their wonderful hospice care.
The Bond-Mitchell Funeral Home 1682 State Rd. 135 North, Nashville, IN 47448 is handling arrangements, with visitation Wednesday, May 15, 4p.m. to 7 .m. P.M., and the memorial service is Thursday, May 16, at 11 a.m. Rev. David Hayes will officiate, assisted by Betty’s four sons.
Online condolences may be given to the family at www.BondMitchellFuneralHome.com
