Betty J. DeGrande, 92, of Rock Island, passed away on Thursday, December 22, 2016 at Aledo Heath and Rehabilitation Center, after a courageous battle with Alzheimers Disease. This is the second time Betty's family has lost her. The first time was when her family realized they could no longer care for Betty at home as her memory slipped away.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Betty at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Rock Island.  The rosary will be prayed at 2:30 p.m.  on Tuesday at the Wheelan Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island, with visitation to follow from 3 to 7 p.m.  Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island.  Memorials may be made in care of Alternatives for the Older Adult or St. Mary Catholic Church, Rock Island.

Betty was born on Jan. 21, 1924, to Alfons and Anna Hancq VanMieghem. She married Frank DeGrande in 1943.  Betty enjoyed reading and roadtrips. She and her mother would take a roadtrip whenever the opportunity would arise. One such trip ended up with their car in a snow drift only to have them rescued by the football team from Rock Island High School who were on their way home from a game.

Betty met her best friend, Marge Constant, when she went to work for Warren L Langwith. Marge and Betty had many good times together, and Betty especially enjoyed their trips to Branson.

Betty worked at Key Buick in accounts payable, retiring in 1998. Prior to Key Buick, she worked at Servus Rubber and Warren L. Langwith. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rock Island and the Heritage Chapter of the American Business Women Association, who named Betty the 1987 Woman of the Year.   Betty greatly enjoyed working on ceramics and made and gave away many beautiful  pieces to her family and friends. Her family was most important to her. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Betty's family would like to thank all of the employees of the Bridges Memory Care Unit and Aledo Rehab and Health for the compassionate, loving care they gave her during her stay there. A better, more compassionate caring group of people cannot be found anywhere. You are the best.

Left to cherish Betty's memory are her children; Tom (Bonnie) DeGrande, Schaumburg, Ill Nancy (Ed) Hanna, Rock Island; and Sandra Bryant, Wildwood, Fla.; grandchildren, Dr. Sean (Katrina) DeGrande, Christopher DeGrande, J.D., Craig (Kerry) Dobereiner and Joshua (Mindy) Dobereiner;  great-grandchildren, Cameron Dobereiner, Amelia and Claire Dobereiner and her best friend, Marge Constant.

She was preceded in death by her parents and great grandson, Ethan Dobereiner

Mom, you know you are the best Mom in the whole wide world, and we are so grateful that you have finally been reunited with your mother and father whom you have been searching for these past four years.