Betty J. Waspi

Betty Jayne Buchert Waspi, 100 years, 8 months & 15 days, passed away October 6th, 2025, at Golden Years, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She was born January 21, 1925, in Elgin, Illinois to Frank Jesse & Edith Bacon Buchert & raised in Richmond, Illinois. After graduating from Richmond High School in 1942, she worked in Chicago before marrying Edward Charles Waspi on May 27th, 1944, at the Community Church of Richmond, while Ed was serving in the Army Air Corps. After retirement they moved from Richmond to Twin Lakes. Betty was a loving mother & grandmother, always #1 Nana - a role she loved & cherished and an important part of the life of those who called her Nana & Great Nana. She was the woman who could do it all. Betty was the homeroom mom who made dozens of heart-shaped cupcakes for each of her children’s classes on Valentines Day during their grade school years. She sewed dance recital and Halloween costumes, dresses plain & fancy, even a shirt for her son. She sewed beautiful formals for herself & her mother for Eastern Star & Shrine, dresses for her daughters' graduations or special events as well as tiny dresses for her great-granddaughter's doll. She was a member of the Community Church of Richmond having served as a Sunday School teacher, served on the Board of Trustees, Board of Deacons, Financial Secretary, Cabinet Chancel Committee & Women’s Fellowship. She was a member of Job’s Daughters, Past Matron OES #267 & held other chairs of the Eastern Star. Betty was a member of the Richmond Garden Club, Woodstock Women of the Moose, Richmond Auxiliary, secretary of the RBCHS Alumni Association and a member of the McHenry County Historical Association. Betty was a great cook, baked delicious caramel nut sweet rolls, tasty crescent rolls, Grandma Waspi’s famous sugar cookies with the raisin in the middle and canned & pickled the produce Ed grew in his garden. Betty did all this while maintaining her own home and working full time; a home always open to kids, cousins, family & friends. She first worked as a telephone switch-board operator and then at Jenn-Aire, Betty later worked for Fred Gunderson as secretary at RBCHS for 25 years, also becoming School Board Secretary. She always said she could write a book on all the antics high school students managed to get into. Ed & Betty’s many travels started with the purchase of a small camper to take their three grandchildren on weekend adventures. As the grandchildren grew and the trailers got larger, the travel trips got longer. There was always Petosi & Phoenix, even a 3 month trip to Alaska where their youngest daughter De flew in to join them for a whitewater rafting adventure. Many good times with both old & new friendships to enjoy. Betty - #1 Nana, is survived by her children, Barbara J. (Wayne) Japp, Loves Park, IL; Charles/Bud (Donna Lakomiak) Waspi, Hesperus, CO & Jacksonville, FL; De (Mike) Nieciecki, Twin Lakes, WI; Grandchildren - Edward Charles Waspi (Christy Pfaffman), Hesperus, CO; Brian Keith (Mary Roddy) Waspi, Lake Geneva, WI; Pepper Ann (Todd) Reicher, Loves Park, IL; great-grandchildren, Jayne Ann Reicher & Evan Edward Reicher, Loves Park, IL. Her special & loved sister-in-law Mary A. Buchert, and her daughters Kathy, Patty & Susie & son Sean, of South Haven, MI. Dear friend & niece Shirley Roberts, special nieces Mary, Bonnie, Sharon & Julie. Also many nieces, nephews & cousins with whom she shared laughter, love & good times over the years. She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 70 years, Ed, 11/13/2013, her parents, Frank & Edith Buchert, John & Lydia Waspi, her brother Frank A. Buchert, her former daughter-in-law, Nancy A. Golden Waspi, & her brothers & sisters-in-law, John, Fred & Iva, Paul & Clarice, George & Marcella, Glenn & Regina Waspi, Edith (Roland) McDonald & Marge (John) Pierce, as well as Robert Roberts. Many thanks to her caregiver Leslie & to Dan Clifford as well as Pastor Hope and many thanks to her friends from the Community Church who kept in touch with her, especially Debbie F. Special thanks to the nurses and CNA's at Golden Years who took excellent care of Betty and kept her spirits high. Thanks to the Hospice Team for their care and guidance. Donations may be given to the Community Church of Richmond, 5714 Broadway, Richmond, IL 60071, or the Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue Squad, 236 E. Main St., Twin Lakes, WI. 53181. Betty had a long & fulfilling life. Visitation will be 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday Oct 27, 2025 at Ehorn-Adams Funeral 10011 Main St, Richmond, IL. Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the Community Church of Richmond, IL, 5714 Broadway in Richmond.

Betty J. Waspi

January 21, 1925 - October 6, 2025