Betty Ilena Krieg
Betty Ilena Krieg, 93, of Heyworth, a lifelong resident of McLean County, died Friday, August 4, 2017, at her home.
She was born December 7, 1923, in a farmhouse south of Bloomington, the daughter of Roy Clarence and Iva Sophia Dildine Clesson. She married Russell Edward Krieg on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, in a private early morning ceremony at Second Presbyterian Church, Bloomington.
She is survived by two daughters, Penny Billington of Bloomington and Rebecca Krieg of Heyworth; a son-in-law, Rebecca’s husband John Alcorn; one great-grandchild; and a number of nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her sisters, Marie Vollstedt and Lola Crump; her brothers, Wayne and Gloyd Clesson; her grandson, Todd Billington; and two nephews.
Betty attended Le Roy Township and Empire Township high schools, where she played clarinet in the marching band, acted in class plays and enjoyed tap dancing. After high school, she graduated from a 12-month course of study at Illinois Commercial College in Champaign- Urbana. It was during her time in college that Pearl Harbor was bombed on her 18th birthday.
She attended teleprinter school in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and worked as a teletype clerk for Western Union in Bloomington during World War II. Annual reunions with her Western Union coworkers became common, and she and Russell attended these gatherings even when they were in their late 80s.
Despite her love for the homemaker’s life, Betty rejoined the workforce in the early 1960s, working first at Metropolitan Life and then at FS Growmark, where she worked in accounts payable until her retirement.
Betty and Russell centered their lives around family and church, and Betty taught numerous Sunday school and Bible study classes in her lifetime. After retirement, Betty found herself deeply involved in the founding of New Horizon Christian Church at Heyworth. She served as one of the original trustees and helped shepherd construction of the early phase of the congregation’s facilities, making daily visits to the building site for months. She was one of two people who suggested the name New Horizon, and she penned a poem celebrating that theme — one of her favorites among the many poems she wrote.
At home, she took great pleasure in creating wonderful memories for her family, where Christmas especially was rich with feasting, love, laughter and the joy of giving gifts. She and Russell prepared candy, cookies and pies ahead of the holiday, and they also were known for sharing their homemade pies with members of the New Horizon congregation.
Summers were filled with gardening, canning and more treats until she and Russell could no longer maintain that effort.
She instilled in her daughters her own belief in the value of a solid education, and ensured also that they had as much music education as they desired. Family singalongs were common over the years, and Betty enjoyed singing right up to the final days of her life.
Betty will be deeply missed by family and friends.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at New Horizon Christian Church, rural Heyworth.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the church and an hour before the service. Burial will be in Randolph Township Cemetery.
Floral tributes are welcome.
