Obituary of Betty Cravens

Betty J. Cravens, 91 of Carlinville, IL, died on October 24, 2022 at Carlinville. Betty was born September 23, 1931 in Williamsville, IL. the daughter of Fred A. and Bertha (Hanner) Powell. She married George W. Cravens on 10-18-1949 in New Bern, NC at First Baptist Church, while he was stationed at Cherry Point Marine Air Station. George died 2-19-1984 in Leitchfield, KY. Survivors include a son, James G. Cravens, Louisville, KY; three sisters, Dr. Barbara J. Powell, Overland Park, KS., Patricia L. Hunt, Hiawassee, GA, Judith A. Harms, (Phillip), Carlinville, IL; brother David A. Powell of Carlinville, IL; four grandchildren, Shane M. Cravens (Kelli) Springfield, IL, Crystal D. (Cravens) Horner, Petersburg, IL, Jeramie J. Cravens, Naples, FL, Kristi A. Taylor Plymouth, IA; a step grandchild Thomas Hansen, Springfield, IL and several great grandchildren. Betty was preceded in death by her husband G.W, a son George Michael Cravens, (1-9-1971), her parents, brothers Charles F. Powell and Robert E. Powell and a sister Jacquelyn “Jackie” S. Frakes (Kevin). Betty worked at various professions; with her husband in their real estate, auction and insurance business; for the State of Illinois Dept. of Transportation and for the Illinois Legislature. She and her husband moved to Leitchfield, KY in 1973 and she worked at the Grayson County Health Dept. and for the USDA Farmers Home Administration. After the death of her husband she transferred to Champaign, IL where she retired from the USDA in November 1996. She then worked part time at the Assembly Hall and later as assistant manager of the Champaign Postal Credit Union. She attended Parkland College and volunteered at Carle Foundation Hospital Auxiliary. She was a lifelong lover of music, starting with her siblings singing in country school pie suppers. In Champaign she sang with the U of I Oratorio Society and attended Grace Lutheran Church where she sang in the choir. She was an avid reader and writer and enjoyed traveling and attending classical music concerts. In March, 2015 she moved to Lake Ozark, MO where she joined the Lake Regional Hospital Volunteers, Ozark Book Club and Christ the King Lutheran Church and published her book Never Enough, the story of her life up to 1984. Memorials may be given to the Carlinville High School music Department. In 2020 she moved to a retirement home in Carlinville, IL to be close to family. One of her favorite quotes is: “Life is but a blink! A shooting star, just a fleeting moment of brightness in a single night of all the seasons in all creation, the shadow of a soaring eagle that passes across the face of a sleeping man; one drop of rain; one breath of a new born child; one small cloud that drifts across the moon - that is all we are---“