Betty Ann Weisenborn's Obituary
Betty Ann (Durrer) Weisenborn, age 84, passed away on Monday, December 1, 2025,
in St. Louis. She was born to John G. and Ardell (Borcharding) Durrer on her parents’
farm near Fountain, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Columbia, Illinois.
She was the first member of her family to attend college and always credited her
teachers at Columbia High School for encouraging her pursuit of higher education.
Betty earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University and
spent her career as a teacher, beginning in Rantoul, Illinois. The bulk of her teaching
career was spent with Shawnee Mission Public Schools in Overland Park, Kansas,
where she found her calling as a skilled and devoted reading specialist, most recently at Corinth Elementary School.
Her family will cherish memories of Fourth of July celebrations at the Round Hill
neighborhood pool, trips to Cocoa Beach, and her wise counsel—passed down from her grandmother—to “keep still and catch on.” She was a devoted daughter, mother, and grandmother who worked tirelessly to ensure her loved ones were well cared for. She believed deeply in the power of education, and particularly that “reading changes everything.”
She is survived by a son, Gregory Weisenborn and his wife Charlene Nichols of Hays,
Kansas; a daughter, Linda Tackes of Frontenac, Missouri; grandchildren Joseph
Tackes and his wife Faith of Tampa, Florida; Julia Ross (née Tackes) and her husband
Kyle of St. Louis; Katherine Nichol (née Weisenborn) and her husband Grant of
Overland Park, Kansas; Jacob Tackes of St. Louis; and John Weisenborn of Hays,
Kansas; great-grandchildren Easton and Wells; nieces Cheryl Popow (Henry) and
Krystin Lopez (David) and their families; as well as many other relatives and friends.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother Robert Durrer,
son-in-law John Tackes, niece Denise Huntsinger, and longtime companion Earl
Hobbs.
The family will receive friends at a visitation beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday,
December 20 at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Columbia, Illinois, followed by a
funeral service at noon with Rev. Jonathan Bangera officiating. Interment will follow at St. Paul UCC Cemetery.
The family wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to the caregivers at Cedarhurst of Des Peres who cared for Betty (and us) with compassion and kindness during her time in hospice care.
In lieu of flowers (seriously—she was a very practical person, and cut flowers only last a few days), the family requests memorial donations be made to the Round Hill
Neighborhood Association, P.O. Box 11610, Overland Park, KS 66207, noting “Betty
Weisenborn Memorial.”
She would have appreciated nothing more than for those who wish to honor her
memory to read often to the children in their lives.
What’s your fondest memory of Betty?
What’s a lesson you learned from Betty?
Share a story where Betty's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Betty you’ll never forget.
How did Betty make you smile?
