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Eris Betty Clayton

January 2nd, 1926 – April 23rd, 2018

Eris Betty Clayton was born at home to Helen Catherine and Herschel Edward Burgard on January 2, 1926, in Schuyler Country. Her childhood was spent following her two older brothers at work and play and attending school. She boarded in Rushville in order to attend Rushville High School. During World War II she entered Washington University at St. Louis, where she graduated with a major in art, and then began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Frederick, IL. On August 28, 1949, she married veteran Gerald Leroy Clayton in Astoria, IL.

Betty’s life revolved around three themes: her family, Sheldon’s Grove Church, and her art. After marriage, for many years she settled into being a farmwife—cooking three major meals a day, gardening, canning and freezing fresh produce, helping with the farmwork, serving as farm accountant—and raising four children: Sandra Lee, Carol Anita, Mark Leroy, and Garth Todd. In between farm and family, Betty squeezed in college classes to obtain her teacher’s certificate and began teaching third grade at Astoria Grade School. Gradually, she achieved one of her dreams and became the art teacher at Astoria schools, pushing around her “art on a cart” to grade school classrooms and providing art classes to high school students. During this time, she propelled her students into painting the lunch room mural at the high school and making sure their work was represented in regional art shows. After twenty years of teaching, she retired; however, she did not give up on her art. She offered private and group art lessons and helped manage the Art Show for Astoria’s annual Homecoming. She tested her entrepreneurial skills, designing and marketing greeting cards and hand-lettering scripture verses.

Woven into her retirement years were also several tragedies. Her youngest son Todd died in 1986. Her husband followed in 2002. Meanwhile, her brothers, Carmen and, more recently, James Othello passed away. Lastly, her youngest grandson Justin died in 2003. Through these times, Betty’s faith never wavered. All her life, Betty was a committed member of Sheldons Grove Church, participating in the many charitable activities up until she moved from her home in Astoria to reside in Peoria, near her oldest daughter Sandra. She will be remembered for her kindness and generosity towards all those she knew, her intense commitment to God, her devotion to her friends and family, and her particularly artistic way of viewing the world around her, drawing and painting peaceful farm scenes, colorful flowers, and beloved faces.

Betty is survived by Sandra Lee Curless of Bartonville, IL, Ben and Molly Curless and great-grandchild Carmeron, and Nate Curless; Carol Anita and Rodger Tarr of Okatie, SC, Clayton Tarr and Bianca Reisdorf; and Mark Leroy and Mary Clayton of West Padukah, KY, Chelsey and Jamie Brown; step-grandchildren Adrienne and Matt Davis and Jared Burget; and step-great-grandchildren Cooper Davis and Jaxon Burget.

Services will be held at 11 am on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria. A visitation will take place on Friday, April 27, 2018 from 6 to 8 pm at the funeral home. Cynthia Helle will be officiating. Interment will be in the Sheldons Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Sheldons Grove United Methodist Church.

Condolences

April 26th, 2018

Mark and Mary, Chet and I send you our love and prayers.

April 26th, 2018

Praying for family. O'Leary family

April 26th, 2018

Sorry for your loss Mark n Mary. May she be at peace.

April 26th, 2018

Sorry for your loss Mark n Mary. May she be at peace. Alan n Sharon Robinson

April 26th, 2018

So sorry for your loss. Thinking of you at this very sad time in your lives. Elva Stigall

April 26th, 2018

Sorry for your loss! Prayers for you and your family! Teresa Shembarger

April 26th, 2018

We are saddened to hear of your loss. Bout prayers are with you both. Tim and Leslie Sickmeyer

April 26th, 2018

Love and prayers for the family. Todd & Kathy Stambaugh

April 26th, 2018

Love and prayers for the family. Todd & Kathy Stambaugh

April 26th, 2018

So sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers to all of you Sharon France

April 26th, 2018

Condolences for the family at the time of such a loss of a dear one
Mary and Ora Welch

April 26th, 2018

Sorry for your loss Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family

April 26th, 2018

So sorry for you loss thoughts and prayers to you and your family

April 26th, 2018

The simpsons

April 26th, 2018

Our thoughts n prayers. So sorry for your loss. Hugs. Roger and Linda Schneider

April 26th, 2018

Betty became a very dear friend of mine and "insisted" of doing a drawing of me which she said, "captured my personality!" She was a very Wonderful and Special lady and loved by many. Jerry and Denis Barnes

April 26th, 2018

My deepest sympathies! Betty was a great teacher, friend and such a loving kind lady. She will be greatly missed!
Cindy “Robinson” McClintock.

April 26th, 2018

So sorry for your loss. She was such a wonderful sweet talented person. Thoughts and Prayers for ALL OF YOU.
Gary, Bev, Miranda Taylor

April 26th, 2018

Betty was a member of the Astoria Friends of the Library. She was so kind, funny, and a joy to work with. I am so sorry for your loss. Betty was love

April 26th, 2018

Betty was loved by so many. To know her was to love her.
Alice Bucher Clanin

April 26th, 2018

Sorry for your loss, your Mom and Dad were good friends, and card playing partners years ago, you are in our thoughts and Prayers
Bill and Connie Curless Ogden

April 26th, 2018

Mark and Mary, so very sorry for your loss. Your mom was a special lady and will be missed. Rita and John Corson

April 26th, 2018

Mark and Mary, so very sorry for your loss. Your mom was a special lady and will be missed. Rita and John Corson

April 26th, 2018

Mark and Mary, sorry to hear about Betty. She was a favorite customer of Garretts, and was so kind to him. Gary and Rosemary Hulett

April 26th, 2018

Sorry to learn of Bettys passing loved working with her and her art classes She will be missed Marilyn Biesenthal

April 26th, 2018

She will be missed. Mike Worman

April 26th, 2018

Betty was a gentle, talented and much loved lady. She will definitely be missed. JoEllen Myers Doyle

April 26th, 2018

Condolences to the family. Lots of happy memories while teaching with Betty. M and E Worman

April 26th, 2018

Who ever wrote the obituary did a wonderful job! Such an honor to her. Michael and Penny Scrogum

April 26th, 2018

I only know Betty through her grandson’s eyes. (Nate) he was always telling stories about her and provided a glimpse of the loving person she must have been. My heart goes out to all her family at her passing. May God grant you His peace..

April 26th, 2018

So sorry for your loss. Darryl and Beckie Naff

April 27th, 2018

Sorry to read of your loss, Roy & family

April 27th, 2018

Sorry for your loss. Betty was a very special lady. Roberta Oest

April 27th, 2018

Mrs. Clayton was my 3rd grade teacher, and I loved her and school because if her. Her kind and gentle spirit will carry on through her family and those who were fortunate to have known her. God Bless each of you during this time of loss. Vicki Shaw Phillips

April 27th, 2018

Betty was such a special person. I was blessed to know her. I truly feel her life made a difference in the world. She will be missed. Tim, Jennifer Connor and Claire Stevens

April 27th, 2018

So, so sorry for your loss. Betty was a very kind, considerate and caring person. She always put others needs before her own. She was a special lady. She was a very talented artist. She left behind precious memories for many to cherish. She will be greatly missed. We pray that God will comfort the family and keep them in his care in the many difficult days ahead. Mike and Donna Shirley

April 27th, 2018

Mike and I are so sorry to hear the loss of Betty! Our sympathy, thoughts, and prayers are with all of her Family! Betty was a sweet lady; always helping others in anyway she could and a wonderful teacher too! 🙏🏻 Mike and Peg Davis, Rushville, IL.

April 27th, 2018

Is there enough room in Heaven for Mrs. Clayton's heart. She showed love to a lot of my classmates including me.
Condolences from the Smith family.
Donald and Sondra, Jeffrey, Tammy and her husband David

April 27th, 2018

My deepest condolences. Betty was such a wonderful teacher, a beautiful human being, and a dear friend. It was a privilege to know her and to have been one of students in grade school and it high school. It was always such a joy to see her at homecoming every year! She will be missed by all who knew her. Brian D. Bucher

April 27th, 2018

Mark, Mary and family, so sorry for your loss, she sure sounds like she was a one of a kind. Prayer during this difficult time. Bob and Susie Bucher

April 27th, 2018

Mrs. Clayton was my art teacher that inspired me to want to continue a career in art. She was so soft spoken and kind to everyone. She was such a kind person that gave everyone a chance. She loved when her students would excel in art. She was an inspiration to many, and will be greatly missed.

April 27th, 2018

One of the sweetest ladies I’ve known through the years....a great art teacher to my sons....Our family sends sincere condolences. Tom & Pam Merrill and family

April 28th, 2018

Betty was and is the definition of a legacy, eternal youth, a lifelong learner and true talent. She was ageless and timeless. We will miss that infectious, rolling laugh, her wit, her talent and eye, her art chats, and her lifelong connection to Grandma. I am sorry that I’m not able to be there today- but as I photographed art yesterday and appreciated its beauty- I couldn’t help but think Betty would have wanted to hear all about the experience. I happened upon this quote not long ago and I’m so glad that Betty modeled this philosophy for so many of us.

“I began to realize how important it was to become an enthusiast in life. If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go for it. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.”

We are sad with you- but also count ourselves lucky to be able to know what a passionate life well lived looks like.

Thinking of you all. We know there are many memories to take comfort in and (in true Betty fashion) a good many to make you shake your head and laugh :)

Troy and Lindy (Bair) Schenk

April 28th, 2018

My sincere condolences to your family. May you find comfort in the promise of Revelation 21:4 of a time when death will be no more and loved ones will be reunited.

April 28th, 2018

Sandra, Anita and Mark, and all your families, we are saddened with you that you have lost your mother, Betty. She always had such a gentle, loving spirit whenever we were around her, and always took a keen interest in all the people around her. She also was always very interesting to talk with, because she was very well-read on many topics. She had a definite twinkle in her eye every time she smiled - a trait that was uniquely hers.

All of us cousins grew up in homes that were adorned with one or more of her many paintings and chalk drawings. These continue to be passed down the generations, so her legacy will live on for many, many years to come.

We are so sorry we cannot be with you to celebrate Betty's life today, with being out of the country at this time. But please know we are praying for all of you, and that we send you our sincere love.

Jeff & Cathy Burgard and Family

April 29th, 2018

Mrs. Clayton was a dear friend. Her kindness and spirituality was contagious. She found beauty in all that she did and helped everyone that she ever met, to do the same.
I truly believe that she would not want tears to be shed this weekend, as it is a celebration that she is finally Home; with The Lord and loved ones that preceded her.
Todd Shaw