Betty Degerlia

Funeral services for Mrs. Betty Jane Degerlia, 82, of St. Joseph, Missouri formerly of Hannibal and Louisiana, Missouri will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 27th at the Collier Funeral Home in Louisiana, Missouri. Dr. Earl Wood assisted by The Rev. Jason Hamilton will officiate. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until time of service at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Feburary 27th at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery in Louisiana. Betty passed away Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at the St. Joseph Heartland Hospital in St. Joseph, Missouri. Betty was born on March 16, 1927 in the town of Ashburn, Missouri and was the 2nd of four daughters born to Margaret E. and Miller Stout. When she was 8 years old she was stricken with polio and it was not known whether or not she would survive. Or if she did survive, she was told she would need braces on both of her arms and legs for the rest of her life. By God’s blessing, she recovered and never needed those braces again. She graduated from the Louisiana High School in 1943. She later married James W. Cleeton in February of 1945 and they had two children, Mitzi Jill and James Miller Cleeton. She is survived by a daughter, Mitzi Teliczan and son-in-law, Joseph Teliczan of St. Joseph, Missouri, two sisters; Marilyn Shellhorse of Louisiana, Missouri and Mary Lou Bray of Lawndale, California, two grandsons; Jacob Tedlock of Omaha, Nebraska and Ethan Tedlock of Kansas City, Missouri, four step granddaughters, Laura Byrne of Kansas City, Missouri, Jessica Teliczan of Springfield, Missouri, Amanda Pannell and Ashley Gordon both of the state of Alabama; niece, Rhonda Shellhorse of O’Fallon, Missouri and nephews, Mark Shellhorse of Bowling Green, Missouri, John Bray, Greg Bray and Doug Bray all of the state of California and numerous cousins and friends. Betty lived her life as a housewife and mother and later a grandmother and her greatest joy was with her family. She spent a few years in the employment of Stark Bro’s Nursery, Thomas Insurance and a few others but stayed close to home as much as possible. She married Elza M. Degerlia in July of 1989. Her German roots provided her with the determination, strength and sometimes stubbornness that she needed to overcome many life challenges. Her father Miller Stout, passed away suddenly in 1954. Her older brother, Albert Stout, was also taken from life at a younger age. She and James William divorced in 1979, her mother Margaret Elizabeth passed away in 1989, and her son, James Miller Cleeton died in 1991 after a lengthy illness. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Elza Degerlia November 28, 2002 and a sister, Edith Troutner. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Louisiana, Missouri and attended faithfully until her health worsened in October of 2009. Pallbearers are; Jacob Tedlock, Ethan Tedlock, Mark Shellhorse, Jeff Byrne, Charlie Serandos and Carroll Edwards. She will be remembered as a strong and determined woman, independent, kind and loving woman and mother.

Betty Degerlia

March 16, 1927 - February 23, 2010