Betty Whitham

Betty Whitham passed away on March 11, 2026. Born on January 2, 1928, to Walter and Elsie (Greiner) Zimmerman in Peoria, Illinois, she spent her early years there before the family moved to the Greiner farm near Metamora. She attended a one-room schoolhouse, where she was the only student in her grade for all eight years, and later graduated from Metamora Township High School in 1945. She earned a degree in food and nutrition from James Millikin University in Decatur in 1949, followed by a one-year dietetic internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. In 1950, she began a long career with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Marion, Indiana, where she worked for 38 years, retiring in 1988 as Chief of Dietetic Services.

On June 28, 1953, Betty married William M. “Bill” Whitham. They shared nearly 45 years of marriage until his death in 1998. Together they raised two sons, Douglas A. (Gretchen) Whitham of La Fontaine and Bryan E. Whitham, who passed away in 1985. A longtime member of St. James Lutheran Church in Marion, she served on the altar guild, various boards and committees, and helped with Vacation Bible School.

Betty cherished time with her grandchildren, attending their school concerts and sporting events and sharing games and outings with them. She enjoyed brunch and lunch dates with retired colleagues and church friends, collecting recipes, cooking, reading, music, and traveling. She often drew comfort from her confirmation Bible verse: “Lo, I am with you always, until the end of time.”

She is survived by her son Douglas, three grandchildren—Raleigh Whitham of Indianapolis, Grace (Jeff) Ballinger of Hunterstown, and Grant Whitham of La Fontaine—two great-grandchildren, Lydia and Clara Ballinger, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bill, son Bryan, and sister Eva Drew.