Betty Elaine Wiegand

Betty Elaine (Kirby) Wiegand, age 95, passed away on May 12, 2026. She was born on August 9, 1930, in Iowa City, Iowa, and lived a life marked by intellectual curiosity, service, and deep devotion to family, friends, and community.

She was the daughter of Ardis (Tharp) Kirby and Clyde Kirby and was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Marion (Kirby) Freeman; her nephew, Barry Freeman; and her husband, James Richard Wiegand, who died in 1993.

A lifelong learner, Betty earned college degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. While at the University of Iowa, she was a bagpipe playing member of the Scottish Highlanders and an active member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She was also a proud member of P.E.O., having joined the organization in 1949, and remained an active member of P.E.O. Chapter BZ for more than 50 years.

Betty’s professional life reflected her passion for education. She retired after 22 years with the Elmbrook School District in Brookfield, Wisconsin, following numerous teaching positions in Iowa and Connecticut. An avid reader, she especially enjoyed authors associated with the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and took great pleasure in helping children develop a love of reading. She was an active member of the Southeastern Wisconsin Questers and enjoyed antiquing, gardening, and spending time at her cottage on the Mississippi River.

Above all, Betty cherished her family. She is survived by her children, Mark (Judy) Wiegand and Jenny Wiegand; her grandchildren, Crystal (Brian) Whitfield, Elissa (Michael) Morsovillo, Elizabeth Olin, Joseph Wiegand, and Claire (Kyle) Bednar; and her great grandchildren, Bryce and Nolan Whitfield, Marisa and Maddox Morsovillo, Althea McCool Wiegand, and Avery and Theodore Bednar.

There will be no public memorial service. A private service for family will be held at a later date in Buffalo City, Wisconsin. Memorial contributions can be made to Bellarmine University (https://www.bellarmine.edu/alumni/support-bellarmine-university/make-a-gift/) or The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence (https://kerulos.org/).