Betty Jean Hursey, 87, entered eternal rest after a long battle with cancer on Saturday, March 21, 2015 in Urbana. A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2015 from 5-7 p.m. at Renner-Wikoff Chapel, Urbana. Graveside services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2015 at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Champaign.

Betty was born February 27, 1928 to Edgar C. Hursey and Caddy Grey in Urbana, Illinois. She was the 6th of 8 children. Betty attended Hays School, Thornburn Junior High and Urbana High School for her primary education. She applied and was accepted to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1947. While at U of I, Betty pledged the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She studied elementary education and received her bachelor's degree in 1969. She went on to receive her master's degree in education in 1975.

Betty was active in her community and was a member of the alumni chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha as well the Masonic Order of the Eastern Stars. In addition to these organizations, Betty was instrumental in the rearing of the many school children she taught during her tenure with the Urbana School District. She taught 1st grade from 1969 to 2004 at Martin Luther King Elementary School in Urbana (formerly Hays School).

Although she never had children of her own, Betty parented and reared her great niece, Ramona "Monie" Watson, and great nephews Edgar Christopher "Chris" Watson and Duane Blackwell. The children regarded her as a mother, even calling her Mother. Betty was also loved and revered as a grandmother and great-grandmother by their offspring.

She leaves behind to mourn her loss her brother Paul Stanley Hursey (Martha), Ramona Watson-Winston (Richard), Duane Blackwell, their children, and a hosts of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, 6 siblings: Mary Louise Sullivan, Edgar Charles Hursey, Jr, Dorothy Bernice Moses, George Penecos Hursey, Aubrey Joseph Hursey, Julius Russell Hursey, and her great nephew Edgar Christopher Watson.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memoriam to Urbana School District 116/Martin Luther King Elementary School fund.