Betty M. Quist, 85, of Rock Island, passed away on December 7, 2014 at the home of her granddaughter, Jennifer. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island. Burial will be in Rock Island Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. with a VFW Ladies Auxiliary service at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary's Cancer Aid and Research Fund.

Betty Marie Kelley was born on July 25, 1929 in Moline, a daughter of Edward and Tillie Gohn Kelley. She married Joseph Blake in June of 1953 and later married Eugene Quist in 1974 in Rock Island. Betty was the owner and operator of Geno's Tavern in Rock Island following Gene's death on August 18, 1977. Betty retired in 1997, after 20 years of running the business.

Betty was a member of the R.I. VFW Post 1303 Ladies Auxiliary, Women of the Moose #168, Past president of the Plows Capitol Chapter of American Business Women. She greatly enjoyed spending time with family, reading and playing bingo.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Cheryl (Jim) Michel, Savannah, GA, Juanita (Dave) White, Rock Island and Randall Blake, Sparta, IL; grandchildren, Jennifer Randolph, Toni Poston, Brittany White, Christopher Blake, Terasa Blake, Carrie Nelson and Melissa Hodson; 13 great-grandchildren and siblings, Iona Heller, Moline, Lana Guyton and Gary Kelley, both of Colona; along with her dear friend, Pat Boney.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Gene, 2 sisters and 5 brothers.