Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Frawley, 88, died Nov. 28, 2019 at Fairhaven in Whitewater. Betty was born May 4, 1931, at home on a dairy farm in Bassett to Henry and Tillie Nienhaus.
Betty graduated from Wilmot High School, attended Racine-Kenosha Teachers College in Union Grove, State Normal Teachers School in Whitewater and earned a degree from UW-Whitewater with magnum cum laude honor. She first taught school in a one-room schoolhouse in Bassett and then in a two-room schoolhouse in Twin Lakes. On Oct. 16, 1954, Betty married John H. Frawley at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Wilmot.
Betty substitute taught for many years in Whitewater and the surrounding area. Eventually she taught sixth grade at Washington Elementary in Whitewater. While teaching, Betty’s other job was bookkeeping for her husband. After retiring from teaching, she worked at Frawley Oil Co., Inc. where she was a full partner. Betty took great pride in her job and thrived at working until April of 2019.
In 1995, Betty was a founding director of the Whitewater Community Foundation. The purpose was to provide high school students a mechanism to receive scholarships for college. The foundation has grown to sponsor various community cultural and charitable programs.
Betty is survived by her son, Michael J. (Jo Anne) Frawley of Whitewater; daughter Ellen K. Hartley of Anna, Texas; grandchildren, Paula Frawley of Rockford, Ill., Justin Astin of Whitewater, Philip (Jeanette) Frawley of Ixonia, Brian (Danielle) Frawley of Whitewater, Holley (Scott) Hartley Tiemann of Melissa, Texas, and William (Devon) Hartley of Anna, Texas; her sister Dorothy (Stanley) Kerkman of Waterford; and great-grandchildren Trinity, Regan, Audrey, Brady, Peyton, Harrison, Levi, and Britta. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Jack Frawley, parents, sister Eleanor Ketterhagen, brother Leon Nienhaus and son-in-law Gary Hartley.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019 at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1225 W. Main Street in Whitewater, with Father Mark Niehaus celebrating. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Whitewater. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb Street in Whitewater.
Memorials may be made to the Whitewater Community Foundation or Fairhaven Senior Services.
The family wishes to express extreme gratitude to the staff at Fairhaven Senior Services.
Well-wishers may visit www.nitardyfuneralhome.com.
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