Obit: Crothers, Betty Sue (1937 - 2022)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Crothers, Craig, Shoults, Gaddis, Lane, Deerman, Iasiello, Wilke, Kleinschmidt, Watton, Nichols, Jones

----Source: Gesche Funeral Home (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/17/2022

Crothers, Betty Sue (20 October 1937 – 14 December 2022)

Betty Sue Crothers, 85, of Neillsville, died peacefully on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at the Clark County Rehab & Living Center in Owen.

Betty Sue Crothers was born on October 20, 1937, in Lawley, Alabama, the daughter of Benjamin Russell and Honnah Dee (Craig) Shoults. She attended Bibb County High School, where she was involved in many activities, including lead majorette for the marching band. She met George H. Crothers on the beach at Gulf Shores, AL while he was serving in the US Navy at Pensacola, FL. After a short courtship, they married on November 6, 1955, and moved to Neillsville. There they assumed ownership of the family dairy farm and started a family. When asked what she was going to do with that big farm house, she answered, "I'm going to fill it with kids!" And she died...raising six of them!

Betty Sue's passions were her husband, her children and her faith. She was an excellent gardener and cook, raising most of the food her family ate. She was especially famous for her homemade bread! Sue also loved serving at church (Church of God in Eau Claire,) where over the years she played piano, sang in the choir, and provided beautiful bouquets of silk flowers.

Betty Sue spent the last year of her life at the Clark County Rehab and Living Center in Owen. She truly grew to love their nursing staff and the caregivers from St. Croix Hospice. Her family is extremely grateful for their competent and compassionate service!

Betty Sue is survived by her six children: Ed (Lynn) Crothers of Neillsville, Melani (Kevin) Gaddis of Neillsville, Carolyn Lane of Spring Lake Park, MN, George (Judy) Crothers of Neillsville, Donald (Rita) Crothers of Neillsville, and Stephen (Anne) Crothers of Hillsboro, OR, her brother, Willard (Carol) Shoults of Centerville, AL, and her sister Sharon Deerman of Centreville, AL. She is further survived by sixteen grandchildren: Katelyn (Michael) Iasiello, Megan Crothers, Ryan Gaddis, Dustin (Marissa) Gaddis, Rebecca Lane, Mitchell (K-Lee) Lane, Amanda (Tom) Wilke, Russell (Sara) Kleinschmidt, Samantha (Austin) Crothers, Alexis (Blake) Crothers, Aaron Watton, Dakota Watton, Nolan Watton, Garrett Watton, Adam (Victoria) Watton, Ellian Nichols. Betty Sue is also survived by eight great-grandchildren: Erich Gaddis, Layla and Brodie Lane, Andrya, Grayce and Aedynn Wilke, Blair Jones, Freyja Crothers, Aden, Vanessa, Asher and Axton Watton and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George H. Crothers, after 51 years of marriage, and by her parents, Benjamin and Honnah Shoults.

A celebration of Betty Sue Crothers' life will be held at Gesche's Funeral Home in Neillsville, with interment from 12:00-12:15 at Neillsville City Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Gesche Funeral Home on Monday, December 19 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Tuesday, December 20 from 10:00-11:00 a.m., with the memorial service beginning at 11:00. Betty Sue's family greatly appreciates the kindness and assistance of the Gesche staff!

Online Condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com. Gesche Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting Betty Sue's family with Funeral arrangements.

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