Betty W. Mortimore

Stoughton- Betty W. Mortimore died peacefully at age 84 on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at Nazareth Health & Rehab Center in Stoughton.  She was born Betty Ruth Watts to Ruth Margaret Peach and John Easton Watts on December 14, 1925 in Belleville, Illinois.  Betty married Roy Henry Mortimore on June 7, 1946 in Lamoni, Iowa which became her home for the next 42 years, shared with her son Robert, her daughter Ruth, many Arabian horses and her beloved cats.  She was the church organist and was active in choir and the orchestra while teaching and taking courses at Graceland College in science.  Betty was a dedicated scholar, earning her Ph. D. in physiology in 1970 and was a tenured professor at Graceland College for 25 years in the biology department at a time when few women were.  She was also a passionate reader, author and traveler.  Following her retirement Betty lived in Madison for several years before living in England for the last six years.  She is survived by daughter Ruth Peach (partner, Lynn St. Cloud), son Robert (Jan) Mortimore; grandchildren, Nicole (Peter) Edworthy, Jenica Holt, Ian (Amber) Poznik, Sara Poznik, Chris Mortimore, Karen (Ralph) Richardson, Curtis (Melanie) Mortimore, and Angie (Rodney) Parham; three great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Greg (Janice) Poznik; her brother John (Barbara) Watts; and sister-in-law, Carol Watts.  Betty was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Vern Watts.  A gathering of friends and family will be held at 1035 S. Sunnyvale Lane, Unit E in Madison, on Sunday, June 20, 2010 from 1 PM to 4 PM.  A memorial service will be held in Lamoni, Iowa in December.  Friends may call Ruth Peach at 608-469-6065 for details.  The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Dane County Humane Society.  A special thank you to Nazareth Health and Rehab Center for their extraordinary care and generous attention for the last six months and to the Janesville Hospice for their creative and successful efforts to ease her passing and to provide comfort throughout her final days.