Betty Jayne Buchert Waspi, 100 years, 8 months and 15 days, passed away Oct. 6, 2025, at Golden Years, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She was born Jan. 21, 1925, in Elgin, Illinois to Frank Jesse and Edith Bacon Buchert, and raised in Richmond, Illinois. After graduating from Richmond High School in 1942, she worked in Chicago before marrying Edward Charles Waspi on May 27, 1944, at the Community Church of Richmond, while Ed was serving in the Army Air Corps. After retirement they moved from Richmond to Twin Lakes.
Betty was a loving mother and grandmother, always #1 Nana (a role she loved and cherished) and an important part of the life of those who called her Nana and Great Nana. She was the woman who could do it all. Betty was the homeroom mom who made dozens of heart-shaped cupcakes for each of her children’s classes on Valentines Day during their grade school years. She sewed dance recital and Halloween costumes, dresses plain and fancy, even a shirt for her son. She sewed beautiful formals for herself and her mother for Eastern Star and Shrine, dresses for her daughters’ graduations or special events as well as tiny dresses for her great-granddaughter’s doll.
She was a member of the Community Church of Richmond, served as a Sunday School teacher, served on the Board of Trustees, Board of Deacons, Financial Secretary, Cabinet Chancel Committee and Women’s Fellowship. She was a member of Job’s Daughters, Past Matron OES #267 and held other chairs of the Eastern Star. Betty was a member of the Richmond Garden Club, Woodstock Women of the Moose, Richmond Auxiliary, secretary of the RBCHS Alumni Association and a member of the McHenry County Historical Association.
Betty was a great cook, baked delicious caramel nut sweet rolls, tasty crescent rolls, Grandma Waspi’s famous sugar cookies with the raisin in the middle and canned and pickled the produce Ed grew in his garden. Betty did all this while maintaining her own home and working full time; a home always open to kids, cousins, family and friends. She worked as a telephone switchboard operator and then at Jenn-Aire, and later worked for Fred Gunderson as secretary at RBCHS for 25 years, also becoming School Board Secretary. She always said she could write a book on all the antics high school students managed to get into.
Ed and Betty’s many travels started with the purchase of a small camper to take their three grandchildren on weekend adventures. As the grandchildren grew and the trailers got larger, the travel trips got longer. There was always Petosi and Phoenix, even a three-month trip to Alaska where their youngest daughter De flew in to join them for a whitewater rafting adventure. Many good times with both old and new friendships were enjoyed.
Betty “#1 Nana” is survived by her children, Barbara J. (Wayne) Japp of Loves Park, Illinois, Charles “Bud” (Donna Lakomiak) Waspi of Hesperus, Colorando and Jacksonville, Florida, and De (Mike) Nieciecki of Twin Lakes; grandchildren, Edward Charles Waspi (Christy Pfaffman) of Hesperus, Colorado, Brian Keith (Mary Roddy) Waspi of Lake Geneva, and Pepper Ann (Todd) Reicher of Loves Park, Illinois; and great-grandchildren, Jayne Ann Reicher and Evan Edward Reicher of Loves Park. She is also survived by her special and loved sister-in-law Mary A. Buchert, and Mary’s children Kathy, Patty, Susie and Sean, all of South Haven, Michigan; dear friend and niece Shirley Roberts; special nieces Mary, Bonnie, Sharon and Julie; and many nieces, nephews and cousins with whom she shared laughter, love and good times over the years.
She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 70 years, Ed; her parents, Frank and Edith Buchert; in-laws John and Lydia Waspi; brother Frank A. Buchert; her former daughter-in-law, Nancy A. Golden Waspi; and her brothers and sisters-in-law, John, Fred and Iva, Paul and Clarice, George and Marcella, Glenn and Regina Waspi, Edith (Roland) McDonald and Marge (John) Pierce, as well as Robert Roberts.
Many thanks to her caregiver Leslie, and to Dan Clifford, as well as Pastor Hope. and to her friends from the Community Church who kept in touch with her, especially Debbie. Special thanks to the nurses and CNAs at Golden Years who took excellent care of Betty and kept her spirits high. Thanks to the Hospice Team for their care and guidance.
Donations may be given to the Community Church of Richmond, 5714 Broadway, Richmond, IL 60071, or the Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue Squad, 236 E. Main St., Twin Lakes, WI. 53181.
Betty had a long and fulfilling life.
Visitation will be from 3 until 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025 at Ehorn-Adams Funeral Home, 10011 Main St., Richmond, Illinois. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 at the Community Church of Richmond.
For on-line condolences, visit www.ehornadams.com.
