Betty Ann Neely

Elizabeth Slaughter Neely, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004, at Cape Girardeau.

Betty Ann was born Jan. 15, 1935, in Kennett, Mo., daughter of Rudie and Margaret Blankenship Slaughter. She graduated from Senath, Mo., schools and attended the University of Missouri at Columbia.

She and Dan Neely were married Dec. 27, 1953, in Senath and lived in Columbia, Mo. They moved to Champaign, Ill., in 1957. She was a homemaker and community volunteer thereafter.

She enjoyed and was skilled at several arts and crafts. She was a gourmet cook, seamstress, upholsterer, decorator, knitter, weaver, watercolor artist and gourder. She also was a lay-out artist for a professional journal.

Her community service included Girl Scout troop leader, tutor for slow readers and clothing center asisstant. She made items and assembled garments for underprivileged children and babies. She edited a newsletter for the county's association for the mentally retarded.

Betty Ann was a faithful member at Senath Baptist Church for 19 years and then joined the Presbyterian church. She was a teacher in the Champaign and Urbana, Ill., churches and a deacon and elder in Urbana Presbyterian Church. She and Dorothea Hunt were noted for numerous church dinners they planned and prepared in Urbana. She served on several committees at the First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau. She especially enjoyed singing good music under the direction of great choir directors at the Urbana and Cape Girardeau churches.

The one time Betty Ann got to lay about on vacation was when she stayed in a cabin on Silver Lake in Michigan for one week. On other vacations she was a tourist. She toured all 50 states and 65 countries on six continents.

Survivors include her husband, Dan; two daughters, Claire Butler and husband John of Shoreview, Minn, Jean Ray and husband Garold of Macomb, Ill.; five grandchildren, Catherine and John Butler, Jessica, Michelle and Allyson Ray; a sister, Margaret Baker of Cape Girardeau; three brothers, Rudie of Cape Girardeau, Victor of Lebanon, Mo., and Allen of Fulton, Mo.

Her parents and a son, Howard at age 7, preceded her in death.

Friends may call at McDaniel Funeral Home in Senath from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Senath Cemetery at 9 a.m. Wednesday, with Pastor Derrick Combs of Senath Baptist Church officiating.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau at 2 p.m. the afternoon of interment with the Rev. Paul Kabo officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Chateau Girardeau Foundation, 3120 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63703, or to the Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 477, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702.