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Betty Ann Brown, 94, Danville, Ill.
Obituaries · January 21, 2016



Betty Ann Brown, 94, of Danville, Ill., passed away at home at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.

Betty Ann was born Jan. 18, 1921, in What Cheer, Iowa, to Anna Kelley and William Franklin Tinsley. She grew up surrounded by cousins who took the place of the brothers and sisters she did not have. She graduated high school in What Cheer. She graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, with a bachelor’s degree in English.

Betty Ann took a few months off from school and work to travel to Florida after her college graduation. Forrest Edwin Brown, her college sweetheart, called her practically daily to ask her to join him in California before he was sent overseas to serve his country in World War II. Finally convinced, she traveled by car across the country to marry him on Nov. 19, 1943. She stayed in California during his deployment and worked for United Airlines. In preparation for Forrest’s return, Betty Ann worked on improving her piano playing so she could accompany her soloist husband. This skill was not just a wonderful surprise for him, but provided many Sunday night music sessions around the baby grand for the whole family.

Betty Ann and Forrest had four children: Joanne Kelley Chacón, Thomas Edwin Brown, Kenneth Brown (stillborn) and Richard Scott Brown. Besides her parents, Betty Ann’s son died at age 7 in 1966. Her husband died in 1972.

Education was a priority for Betty Ann. While she helped Illinois State students with financial aid, student employment and placement, she completed an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling and continued with advanced graduate work in Educational Administration. She retired from I.S.U. in January 1988.

No sitting in front of the TV for Betty Ann. Everyday began with a cup of coffee (which even the medical personnel at Carle Foundation conformed to). She joined the Bloomington Recreation Line Dancers. She performed at the State Fair, in elementary schools, and in care centers. She loved the music and the dancing. Before Forrest’s death, they had taken ballroom dance lessons. She continued the lessons. She took her ballroom dancing to a new level by traveling on ballroom dance cruises and ballroom dance trips to New York, Utah and Florida.

Other activities and organizations that occupied her life were the formation of P.E.O. chapter JV as the first president and charter member. She gave 76 years to P.E.O. as well as 76 years to Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She was president and vice president of Altrusa Club of Bloomington/Normal. She was president of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. Betty Ann worked with Community Players in support of her husband’s directing and acting. She sang in choir at Second Presbyterian Church where she was a member for more than 50 years.

Betty Ann enjoyed family celebrations with her children; grandchildren: Ana Alicia Amorín, Antonio César Amorín, and Carlos Enrique Chacón; and her great-grandchildren: Alyce Katherine Peterson, Hope Alexandra Peterson, and Benjamin Scott Peterson. She loved the travel to Wisconsin to see the greats. She burned up the highway between Bloomington and Danville to spend time with the grandchildren. She spoke often of the special trip to England and France with four generations. She always reminded Alyce that, as a 2 1/2-year-old, she said, “Come on let’s dance, Mom” in a store in France.

When her health took a turn, Betty Ann joined her daughter Joanne in Danville, Ill. She attended chapter LT P.E.O. with her daughter, but also made friends through cardiac rehab at Presence and later at the Family Y. Never one to stop dancing, she joined her fellow nonagenarians Mary Elizabeth and Lucille at the Harrison Park Starlight Ballroom and the dances sponsored by Bismarck and First Presbyterian Church.

Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, a church or organization of your choice.

Visitation for Betty Ann was before her service at Calvert & Metzler Funeral Home. The service was Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. Burial was in West Branch, Iowa, where she will rest beside her beloved husband.