Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Frawley, 88, died November 28 at Fairhaven in Whitewater. Betty was born May 4, 1931, at home on a dairy farm in Bassett, Wisconsin, to Henry and Tillie Nienhaus.
Betty graduated from Wilmot High School, attended Racine-Kenosha Teachers College in Union Grove, State Normal Teachers School in Whitewater and earned a degree from UW-Whitewater with magna cum laude honor. Betty first taught school in a one room schoolhouse in Bassett and then in a two room schoolhouse in Twin Lakes. On October 16, 1954, Betty married John H. Frawley at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Wilmot, Wisconsin.
Betty substitute taught for many years in Whitewater and the surrounding area. Eventually she taught 6th grade at Washington Elementary in Whitewater. While teaching, Betty’s other job was bookkeeping for her husband. After retiring from teaching she worked at Frawley Oil Co., Inc. where she was a full partner. Betty took great pride in her job and thrived at working until April of 2019.
In 1995, Betty was a founding director of the Whitewater Community Foundation. The purpose was to provide high school students a mechanism to receive scholarships for college. The foundation has grown to sponsor various community cultural and charitable programs.
Surviving are Son: Michael J. (Jo Anne) Frawley, Whitewater, Daughter: Ellen K. Hartley, Anna, TX. Grandchildren: Paula Frawley, Rockford, IL, Justin Astin, Whitewater, Philip (Jeanette) Frawley, Ixonia, Brian (Danielle) Frawley, Whitewater, Holley (Scott) Hartley Tiemann, Melissa, TX, and William (Devon) Hartley, Anna, TX. Sister: Dorothy (Stanley) Kerkman, Waterford. Great-grandchildren: Trinity, Regan, Audrey, Brady, Peyton, Harrison, Levi, and Britta. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Jack Frawley, parents, sister Eleanor Ketterhagen, brother Leon Nienhaus and son-in-law Gary Hartley.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, December 4th, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1225 W. Main Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin, with Father Mark Niehaus celebrating. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Whitewater, Wisconsin. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3rd, at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin.
Memorials may be made to the Whitewater Community Foundation or Fairhaven Senior Services.
The family wishes to express extreme gratitude to the staff at Fairhaven Senior Services.
Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is assisting the family
