Betty Wallace, age 85, of Gratiot, died on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in her home with her son and daughter-in-law by her side. Betty was born on July 25, 1932, in Caldonia, Ill., the daughter of Refugio and Soledad (Reyes) Alba. She grew up in Beloit and graduated from Beloit High School in 1950. She married John “Jack” Wallace” on Oct. 10, 1953, in Rockford, Ill., and they lived and raised their family in Beloit until retiring to Richland Center in 1994 and then Gratiot in 2000. Betty worked at Fairbanks Morse in Beloit after high school and later at The Beloit Daily News and then McCleary’s in South Beloit, which is from where she retired.
She loved to celebrate birthdays especially her own, and spent many hours enjoying her favorite activities of knitting, playing with her grandkids and then her great-grandkids. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Warren Ill., and had a strong faith in God, which comforted her in her final days.
She is survived by her sons: John (Winnie) of Woodstock and James (Kandy) of Gratiot; five grandchildren: John (Angela) of Oregon, Adam (Jessica) of Hazelhurst, Sarah of Gratiot, Rachel (Ryan) Behling of Caledonia and Aaron (Lindsey) of Wisconsin Rapids; seven great-grandchildren: Tyler, Emma, Sierra, Claire, Brynn, Grace, and Katherine. She is also survived by her sister, Connie Alba of Beloit and three brothers: Ralph Alba of Beloit, Donald (Carol) Alba of Marengo, Iowa and Joe (Nancy) Alba of Beloit along with brother-in-law Jerry (JoAnn) Wallace of Rockton, Ill., and with many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband Jack, grandson Justen, her parents, and sisters Lou Alba, Carmen Bratton and Margaret Perkins.
A Celebration of Life is being planned for family and friends in July.
The family would like to thank special friends Alexis Marcotte, Sheri Bergum, Janet Fox, Payton Ray and St. Croiz Hospice for all your loving care of Betty during her illness. The family would also like to thank Ellestad Camacho Funeral Home of Mt. Horeb for helping us through this sad time.