Betty Leverich

Betty Elizabeth Leverich (September 28, 1930 – May 18, 2021), of Watertown, WI, went to be with the Lord after a long struggle with dementia.

Betty was born to parents Oscar and Aurelia Aubin and grew up in southeast Texas. After high school, she went to Kansas City, MO, where she met and married Kenneth Oscar Leverich in 1949. When Betty was 13, she trusted Christ as her Savior at a tent meeting. That decision impacted her entire life.

There’s no way to capture the achievements and significance of such a remarkable life in writing. As a young mother, Betty began caring for many children in addition to her own five children.  Later, Betty ran a daycare out of her home. Over the years she invested in the lives of countless children.

After the death of her husband in 1988, Betty moved in with the family of Dr. John Ferris, whose wife Christy had recently died of breast cancer. Betty became a loving Nanny to Johnny, Elizabeth, Susan, Mary, and Rebecca. She had devoted herself to caring for many children before, now she gave her attention to these five.

Betty moved along with the Ferris family to Watertown, WI in 1992. She raised the Ferris children to become accomplished adults and was at the same time a fully involved grandmother to her eight grandchildren.

Throughout life, Betty was physically strong and active. She was a tireless gardener, and enjoyed water aerobics and hiking.  She even did some cross-country skiing and white-water river rafting. But Betty was also emotionally strong. She gave reliable counsel to her children, grandchildren and to the Ferris children. She was a refuge of comfort, counsel and ever-ready help. All who enjoyed her blend of Southern, Cajun and all-American cooking will miss her shrimp gumbo and lemon meringue pies.

In 2012 Betty was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Even in sickness she displayed remarkable kindness, wit and humor.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Oscar Leverich (1924-1988) and her son Kenneth Leverich (1950-2015) and number of brothers and sisters. She is survived by her sister, Clothilde Moore (Don) of Bellville, TX, daughters Judy Lingle (David) of Watertown, WI and Nancy Rubino (Richard) of Aurora, MO, and her sons Charles Leverich (Anne) of Aurora, MO and David Leverich of Houston, TX. Betty is also survived by eight grandchildren: Jeremy Lingle, Andrew Lingle, and Nikolas Lingle, Heather Leverich and Maxwell Leverich, Angelo Rubino, Jeffery Leverich and Matthew Leverich, and ten great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Betty’s life was held in October, 2019, and a graveside service will be held at Rambo Cemetery in Rogers, Arkansas, where she will be laid to rest with her husband of 39 years. Memorial gifts in Betty’s honor may be made to the Helping Hands scholarship fund of Calvary Baptist Christian School, 793 Milford ST, Watertown, Wisconsin, 53094.