Helen Louise Botsford, 95, died Thursday at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee. She was born in Racine, August 27, 1924, daughter of the late Milton and Frances (Nee: Johnson) Whiting.
Helen graduated from Washington Park High School “Class of 1942” and went on to earn her nursing degree from St. Luke’s School of Nursing. On March 23, 1946, she married Donald N. Botsford. They were married for 69 years before he preceded her in death on August 25, 2015. Helen was employed as a Registered Nurse by St. Luke’s Hospital in Racine for 27 years retiring in 1986. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women. Helen was a member of P.E.O. Chapter CF. Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Racine Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star (OES) Chapter 45 and Retired Inactive Nurses Group, (RING). Helen enjoyed singing, knitting, quilting, and at the age of 95 keeping in touch with family and friends via Facebook and e-mail. Above all, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who will be dearly missed.
Surviving are her children, Janet (Donald) Kriz of Sugar Land, TX, Norman (Mary Lou) Botsford of Chicago, IL, 5 grandchildren, Douglas (Meredith) Kriz of McKinney, TX, Brian (Deborah Plavin) Kriz of Washington D.C., Christian (Kirsten) Botsford of Tucson, AZ, Theresa (Jared) Godinez of Santa Barbara, CA, Paul (Rebecca) Botsford of Chicago, IL; 6 great-grandchildren, Rachel and Tyler Kriz, Luella and Lotte Godinez, Charles and Theodore Botsford; brother, William Whiting of Monroe Township. NJ; other relatives and many dear friends. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, George Whiting.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 745 Main Street with Rev. Douglas Kriz and Rev. Jakes Voker officiating. Relatives and friends may meet with the family Wednesday at Maresh-Meredith & Acklam Funeral Home, 4-6 p.m. and Thursday at the church, 10 a.m. until time of service. Interment will be held at Mound Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Nurses Foundation of Racine, Health Care Network Inc. or to the First United Methodist Church have been suggested.
Please send condolences to Maresh-Meredith & Acklam Funeral Home.