Betty J. (Lee) Speer Whitney, 88, of Hillsboro died Feb. 4, 2022, in St. Louis County. Mrs. Whitney worked at Spielberg Manufacturing for several years. She was a Christian of the Baptist faith and loved to camp, fish, and play Bingo. She enjoyed crocheting while listening to her favorite country singer, Conway Twitty, and loved spending time with family and friends. She was born March 27, 1933, in St. Louis, the daughter of the late Jessie and Lillian (Hahn) Lee. She was preceded in death by two husbands: Norman Eugene Speer and the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Whitney.
She is survived by three sons: Norman L. (Debbie) Speer of House Springs, Russell Dean Speer of St. Francois County and Robert “Butch” (Barb) Speer of Franklin County; a daughter: Norma Jean (Tim) Gray of Cuba, Mo.; a sister: Ruth Pritchett of St. Joseph; a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and her dog, Petey.
Visitation is scheduled from 11 a.m. until a funeral service at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, at Robert D. Brown Funeral Home, 103 Fourth Street, in Hillsboro. Burial will follow in the Shepherd Hills Cemetery in Barnhart. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements are under the direction of Robert D. Brown Funeral Home.