Betty Gill

1921 - 2020

Gill, Betty Jo (Pearman)

BELLEVILLE - Betty Jo (Pearman) Gill of Belleville/Brooklyn, Wis., died on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Agrace HospiceCare, Inc. in Fitchburg, Wis., just two months short of her 99th birthday.

Betty was born in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Nov. 12, 1921, to Lewis and Maude (Palmer) Pearman. She graduated from Central High School in Oklahoma City in May 1939. She attended Blackwood Davis Business School in Oklahoma City and had begun attending Oklahoma A&M in Stillwater, Okla., when WWII was declared. She joined the United States Women's Marine Corps in November 1943. She was assigned to Cherry Point, N.C. and El Centro, Calif., where she served in the Post Office and as a telephone operator.

Betty met her future husband, Robert (Bob) Gill, who grew up in the Belleville area, while he was serving in the Army Air Corp at Will Rogers Field outside of Oklahoma City. Bob and Betty were married on Nov. 7, 1944, in Oklahoma City. They farmed in the Belleville area for 34 years, raising six daughters. Bob died in 1980.

Betty was employed as a secretary to the physicians who began the Neonatal Intensive Care Program at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison. After retirement, Betty worked for the Senior Citizens of Belleville. She volunteered for community events and was named the 2001 Senior Citizens Volunteer of the Year. Betty was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church of Belleville, Wis. and the Women's Marine Association in the Madison area.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, two daughters, Beverly and Shirley, a great, great grandson, Riley Miller, her parents, two brothers, Homer (Marge) Pearman and Olin Pearman and three sisters, Mary (Lester) Kelly, Lavina (Wendell) Allen, and Iona (William) Caplinger.

She is survived by four daughters; Jody (Gary) Lien of Brooklyn, Wis., Judy (Gary) Swanson of Longview, Wash., Midge Gill, and Susan (Scott) Bradley, both of Fort Atkinson, Wis., 12 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and six great, great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews and many honorary grandkids that still call her "Grandma Gill", a title she treasured.

Due to COVID, a private family service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Becker-Beal Funeral Home, 109 Greenway Cross, Belleville, Wis. Rev. George Kaminski will officiate with burial in the Belleville Cemetery. Military honors will be accorded.

Memorials can be made to Grace United Methodist Church of Belleville, Agrace HospiceCare, Inc., or the Badger Honor Flight in Betty's memory.

Condolences may be given at www.bealfuneralhomes.com