Elizabeth Ann “Betty” (Itschner) Elliott peacefully departed life on this earth on February 6, 2025, in Godfrey, Illinois, after several years of declining health. She was 99 years old.
Betty was born September 14, 1925 in Patterson, Missouri, the second of four children born to Mary Francis Black and Ernest Theodore Itschner. She, her sister Virginia, and brother John spent their childhoods in Columbia, Missouri, where their father was a Professor of Agriculture at the University of Missouri.
Betty met her future husband, Jimmy Trone Elliott, in 1944 while both were student employees of the University. They were engaged just before Jim was drafted by the Army. Betty graduated from a 2-year program at Christian College (now Columbia College) while Jim was in Germany fighting with the 86th Infantry Division. He completed his Journalism degree at Mizzou after being discharged in 1946.
Betty and Jim were married on September 6th, 1947 in Columbia a week before her 22nd birthday, a date Betty chose to not appear one year older on their marriage certificate than Jim (b. October 12, 1925). Jim was employed in St Louis, but the young couple moved to Alton, Illinois because the school system was better there than in the St. Louis area at that time. Betty and Jim had three children, all conveniently born 4-years apart: John, Gregory, and Leslie. The family moved from Alton to Godfrey, Illinois, in 1970.
Betty and Jim were co-owners with Gretchen Schmitz of “Art on Paper, Inc.” Betty, Jim, and Gretchen published “Prints Magazine”, a monthly publication specializing in the original, limited-edition art market, and featured trade information and artist interviews. To conduct many of the artist interviews, Betty travelled with Jim throughout the U.S. and to the U.K.
Betty was a friend to many in her neighborhood and was a long-standing member of her bridge club and Elm Street Presbyterian Church until its closure in 2018. She was a loyal fan of the St Louis Cardinals and especially catcher Yadier Molina.
“Mom”, “Grandma”, “Aunt Betty” loved her family. She was a consummate, well organized “domestic engineer” who enjoyed hosting family around her dinner table whenever they were visiting. She also was devoted to her dogs, always Boxers, who shared her home over many decades.
Betty Elliott was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, Jim (d. April 1, 1991). Also preceding her in death were her parents Ernest and Mary Itschner, her infant older sister Mary Helen Itschner, her sister and brother-in-law Virginia (Bob) Barnes, her brother and sister-in-law John (Virginia) Itschner, and by niece, Jane Barnes
Betty is survived by her children and their spouses, John (Lynn) Elliott, Greg Elliott (Patti Fischer), and Leslie (Tom) Widger. She is survived by her grandchildren Andrew Jordan Elliott, Natalie Joy Elliott, Mary Rose Primavera, and Grayson Primavera, her great-grandchildren Jordan Elliott and Rowan Hooper, her nieces Sandra Gurm, Luann Corbin, Nancy Kellermeyer and their spouses, her nephews Bruce Barnes and John Itschner, Jr., and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral services will be held at Gent Funeral Home, 2409 State Street, Alton, Ill., on Tuesday May 13, 2025, with visitation at 10:00 am, and a memorial service to follow at 11:00. Burial will be at Valhalla Cemetery, 2308 W. Delmar, Godfrey, Ill. at noon.
Memorial contributions in Betty’s name can be made to:
- Duo Dogs (https://duodogs.org).
- The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) (https://www.searchdogfoundation.org).
- Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org)
Additional information and online guest book may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com.
