Mrs. Betty Ammerman, age 85, of Springfield passed away June 10, 2015 in her home. She battled Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with grace and courage. She was a survivor of breast cancer in 1998 and lung cancer in 2009.

Betty Jean was born near Fair Play, Missouri, July 7, 1929, the first child of Forrest Beason and Grace Roberts Beason.

On December 21, 1946 Betty and Claud F. Ammerman were married in Fair Play. They lived in Bolivar until 1949 and then moved to Springfield.

A graduate of Fair Play High School, and valedictorian of her class, she was a member of the orchestra, and competed in vocal solos and ensembles, some at the state level. She was active in 4-H, winning several local and state level ribbons. Betty was a former bookkeeper and was employed by the Bolivar Free Press and in Springfield at the American Milking Shorthorn Society; Webster Oil Company; and Nixon, Simpson and Shipp Insurance Company.

Betty was a Life Member of Queen City Chapter #226, Order of Eastern Star, and Pleiades White Shrine, Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem serving as Worthy High Priestess in 1960.

Her family was the most important part of her life and when the children were younger she participated in their activities: Camp Fire Girls, Cub Scouts, PTA and School Volunteer and taking them to swim, karate and other classes.

Betty had a passion for family history and genealogy and began research in the 1940s. She was a charter member of the following organizations: Ozarks Genealogical Society (OGS), Springfield, organized in 1969; Historical Society of Polk County, Missouri, Missouri State Genealogical Association; and the Polk County (Missouri) Genealogical Society. She was a member of Rachel Donelson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Springfield for over 25 years. She was served on the Editorial Board of Ozar’kin, the OGS quarterly, 35 years of its 36 year publication. She also served as an officer and chair of several OGS committees. She was a published co-author of books including A Branch of the Wright Tree and compiled a number of genealogical articles. On August 2, 2014, she was presented with the Missouri State Genealogical Society’s “Award of Merit” for her outstanding contributions to genealogy in Missouri.

Betty and her siblings were very close and they all met once more in Springfield recently. Betty was the family historian and maintained contact with close cousins as well as many extended cousins from coast to coast.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son, Richard Robert, December 1, 1949 and husband, Claud, August 30, 2004.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Kay Wilson and her husband, Raymond “Boots” Wilson, Strafford; her son, Jim Ammerman, Springfield; two grandchildren, Ben Wilson and friend Jessica Roemer, Springfield and Tara Ammerman, Nashville, Tennessee; and two step-grandchildren, William Wilson and Christy Wilson Fair.

Other survivors include her siblings and their spouses: Joe and Rosemary Beason, Stevensville, Montana, Dolores Huff Tucker, McKinney, Texas, Charles and Shirlynn Beason, Forney, Texas, Lee and Gwen Beason, Sherwood, Arkansas; step-brother, Bill and Gerry Beamon, Phoenix, Arizona; step-sister, Mary Beamon and Don Witter, Laguna Niguel, California; brother-in-law, David W. Ammerman, Archie, Missouri, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family expresses gratitude to Good Shepherd Hospice and Home Sweet Home for their special care during Betty’s last illness.

A visitation will be held from 9-10 am on Friday, June 12, at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 10:30 am at Hazelwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Ozarks Genealogical Society, 534 W. Catalpa St., Springfield, MO 65807.

Obituary from Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home website.