Betty Jo Hillyard, 74, Bethany, MO passed away Saturday, November 2, 2019 at an Albany, MO hospital. She was the wife of Melvin Hillyard. They shared 58 years of marriage together.
She was born in Worth County, Missouri on December 16, 1944 to the late George and Tanzy (Scott) Thurman. She married Melvin Hillyard on November 18, 1960. To this union, two sons, Russell Lee and Larry Bryce were born, they were the most important part of her life. Betty was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great grandmother. She worked at the Bethany Care Center for 20 years. She enjoyed baking and doing crafts.
She was preceded in death by her son, Russell Hillyard; her parents; infant brother, Charles; brothers, Bob and Butch Thurman; sister, Peggy (Thurman) Gibson and father and mother-in-law, Dean and Mildred (Birt) Hillyard.
Betty is survived by her husband, Melvin; son, Bryce Hillyard; sister, Bert Gilbert, Earlham, IA, Teen (Jim) Pearce, Mount Ayr, IA, Jeannie (Bud) Whitaker, Brooklyn, MO, Pat Roe, Martinsville, MO, and Connie (Dean) Lawson, Gilman City, MO; five grandchildren, Veronica, Russell Jr., Cassie, Kelley, and Chelsea; seven great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 6 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Burial will follow in Morris Chapel Cemetery, Bethany, MO. The family will receive friends from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Morris Chapel Cemetery, Mosaic Hospice of Stanberry and/or Mosaic Medical Center in Albany in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.