Betty Lee Knuckles
July 25, 1929 – Feb. 15, 2022
BLOOMINGTON – Betty Lee Knuckles, left our earthly realm peacefully on February 15, 2022. She had lived a vibrant and healthy life for 92-years.
Betty was born in 1929 to Bessie (Reichert) and Clifford Wilson in Fairfax, IA. The family soon moved to Downs, IL, where she and her sisters, Mary Ann (Shipton) and Margaret (Lipp), and her brother Robert enjoyed a happy childhood.
Upon graduation from high school, she pursued her ambition to become an RN, studying at and graduating from the Mennonite School of Nursing. She never considered any other vocation and excelled in this work, choosing surgery and emergency room nursing as her first specialty. In the years to come she served generously as medical support to all her family, friends, and neighbors. She dearly loved her volunteer work as the nurse for many seasons of church camp. The spirit of nursing and her sincere concern for others infused her entire life.
In 1964, she married the true love of her life, Raymond C. Knuckles. They had a remarkable life together for 55-years and they thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Their combined five children benefited greatly from exposure to their love, closeness and partnership. It was a perfect pairing and they enjoyed being part of their children’s lives, traveling, being involved at church, and having an active social life, making many friends along the way.
Still living are her brother, Robert (Annette) Wilson; her children: Debra Strouse (Jimmy) Maruskin, Linda Jo Strouse, and Roger Strouse; her step-children: Jeffry (Barbara) Knuckles and Julie (John) Fetter; and her seven grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Family was of supreme importance to her and Ray and they were dedicated to making sure that all relatives stayed close, hosting many fun and memorable family get-togethers.
She will be sorely missed but forever loved, and remembered for her dazzling and welcoming smile, her contagious good spirits, and, of course, her joke-telling!
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in the Fellowship Hall at Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
In her memory, donations can be made to the Mennonite College of Nursing’s Centennial Scholarship Fund (fund #581-5100).
Contributions can be made online at Centennial Fund | Giving – Illinois State or mailed to: Illinois State University Foundation, Campus Box 8000, Normal, IL, 61790-8000.
Condolences for her family can be sent to: Linda Jo Strouse, 829 Ulrich Road, Prospect, OR, 97536.
Published by The Pantagraph on Feb. 27, 2022.