Betty Jane Stickle

September 2, 1927 – April 25, 2026

Betty Jane Stickle passed peacefully on April 25, 2026, in Lehigh Acres, FL following a joyful 98 years of a life well lived.

Born September 2, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois to Eric Johnson and Alice Augusta Svenson Johnson. She moved to Manhattan as a baby and then to Port Jervis, NY as a young teenager.

Betty moved to New Jersey and graduated from Newton High School where she was Vice President of her senior class. Singing was her true passion. She loved listening to and singing operas and musicals. She participated in the Elks Club sponsored series of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and was the only 1st Soprano selected into New Jersey Allstate Chorus as a Sophomore.

Betty met and married the love of her life, Morton Donaldson Stickle Jr., at the First Presbyterian Church in Newton, NJ. They were lifelong members of the church and choir sharing the joy of singing. She said, "If you want a marriage to last, meet in church". They were married for over 75 years!

While in NJ, Betty worked for the County Superintendent of Schools Office for over 20 years. She became the founding member of the Sussex County Oratorio Society and hosted a Children’s Radio Bible program. She was the President of the Newton Women’s Club, volunteered for years with SCARC and the Special Olympics, authored several magazine articles, and completed her associate’s degree as a Salutatorian recipient and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Betty and Don retired in Lehigh Acres, FL where Betty quickly became active singing with the Southwest Florida Symphony Chorus. She was a long time Lehigh General Women's Club showman and loved to entertain and make people laugh in many plays and musicals. She also sang duets and solos in a few Lehigh churches and loved the new friendships made at Fountain Crest Retirement Community.

Her family and friends knew her as smart, happy, funny, creative, patient, spunky, positive, enduring, generous, loving, bright and giving. She was a loving Daughter of Swedish Immigrants, Wife, Daughter-in-Law, Sister, Sister-in-Law, Aunt, Mother, Mother-in-Law, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, and dedicated friend. But more important were the things that she taught us all. With a smile she encouraged us how to be a strong Swede; how to sing, dance, laugh, play, work hard and have fun! She also inspired us how to think, how to hope, how to love and how to live. Her life is our example of how to have faith, hope and pray. She also taught us to be steadfast through our struggles in the mist of storms and to never give up.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Morton Donaldson Stickle, Jr. (1921 – 2024) and will be greatly missed by all her family who survives her: 3 daughters, 1 son, 5 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, her sister-in law, Leaf Brockhausen of Monmouth, NJ.

Daughter Susan Polizzo of Newton, NJ, granddaughter Kristin Beauchamp and her husband Tom Beauchamp, great grandchildren Stephanie, Wyatt and Ruby.

Daughter Donna Basile and her husband Luigi Basile, of Andover, NJ grandchild Paul Gonzalez and his wife Heather Gonzalez, great grandchildren Quinn, Ryder and Paxton.

Daughter Joann Sparks and her husband Glenn Sparks, of Somers, NY grandchildren Peter, David and his wife Yihan Chen Sparks and Amy Sparks and her husband Adam Sparks.

And Son Morton Donaldson Stickle III of St. Petersburg, FL.

In lieu of flowers please donate to:

the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS)

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