Betty Lou Hemmert, 92
It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Betty Lou (Wills) Hemmert, 92 years young. She passed away peacefully on June 10, 2022, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo, from complications of a stroke.
Born Oct. 27, 1929, the daughter of James “Pete” and Bessie (Darst) Wills. Betty was the fourth of ten children. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1947. On Nov, 18, 1950, she married the love of her life, Ivan J. Hemmert, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wapakoneta. They were married 58 years, before Ivan’s passing in May 2008. They had four children, Christine, Gregory, Gary, and Eric.
Betty was a homemaker most of her life. Making a house a home was her job as she and Ivan moved their family multiple times from 1964 to 1977 due to his government job. When retirement finally came, they moved back to their home town of Wapakoneta. For many years, they wintered at South Padre Island, Texas, with trips to Mexico. They did take a trip to Hawaii, Mom’s first and last flight in a plane.
She enjoyed crocheting for many years, making elaborate dresses for dolls, and surprising her entire family; children, grandkids, and greats with Christmas stockings and tree skirts! Other interests, as her hands could no longer crochet, were reading, jigsaw puzzles, crossword, number and fill in puzzle books. Towards the end, her Ipad and the game of spider solitaire kept her busy for hours. Family gatherings were very important to her, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. These holidays really grew fast as her children married and started their own families. Towards the end of her hosting, it got so big she needed help!
Surviving her are her children, Christine (Daniel) Bauer, Toledo, OH; Gregory Hemmert, Maumee, OH; Gary (Susan) Hemmert, Lambertville, MI; Eric (Debora) Hemmert, Bellefontaine, OH. Also surviving are 13 grandchildren, Beth (Max) Walter, Twinsburg, OH; Stephanie (Pete) Weisenburger, Avon, OH; Katie (Ben) Bowers, Perrysburg, OH; Alethea Hemmert, Waterville, OH; Danielle Hemmert, Toledo, OH; Sam (Samantha) Hemmert, Waterville, OH; Melissa Hemmert, Maumee, OH; Nick (Monica) Hemmert, Denver, CO; Matt Hemmert, Toledo, OH; Michael (Tiffany) Hemmert, Bellefontaine, OH; Ryan (Kristen) Hemmert, Hilliard, OH; Amber (Mark) Bassett, Bloomsburg, PA; and Adam (Elicia) Warner, Celina, OH. There are 21 great grandchildren, Graham, Grace, Zach, Luke, Jake, Evelyn, Emersyn, Anthony, Hannah, Micah, Lizzie, Ben, Emma, Griffin, Isabel, Rhys, Jack, Brock, Logan, Ty, and Paisleigh. Other survivors include her sister, Catherine Harris, Greenville, SC, brother-in-law Ned Hobler, sister-in-laws, Marlene Wills and Marie Perrin all of Wapakoneta, OH, and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Paul Wills, Phyllis Walker, Jim Wills, Dick Wills, Mary Wolfe, Janet Clayton, Dot Hobler, and Bill Wills. Also, her brother-in-laws, Frank Hemmert, Cliff Hemmert, Alfred Hemmert, Roland Hemmert,
Richard Hemmert and sisterin-law, Winnie Kleinhenz and nieces and nephews preceding her in death are Abby, Barb, Mike, and Doug.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 20, 2022, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wapakoneta, with Fr. Sean Wilson officiating. Burial is to follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery, Wapakoneta.
The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Sunday, June 19, and 9-9:45 a.m., Monday at the Eley Funeral Home & Crematory, St. Rt. 501, Wapakoneta. Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, 800 South Detroit Avenue, Toledo, Ohio, 43609 and St. Joseph Catholic Church, 309 South Perry Street, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 45895 or charity of donor’s choice. Condolences may be expressed at www.eleyfuneralhomeandcrematory.com