Betty Jean Bilney, 96, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away on Saturday morning, January 4, 2025 in the Heartland Care Center at Marcus, Iowa. Memorial services will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cherokee on June 7, 2025 at 10:30 AM. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Mike Agnew will officiate. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa is assisting the family with the arrangements.  Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Betty was born on February 4, 1928, at Creighton, Nebraska to Harold & Agnes (Pojar) Meikle. She was raised in Creighton, NE. She attended Salem County Country School and graduated from Creighton High School in 1945.  Betty worked as a telephone operator while in high school. Following graduation, she taught in a country school west of Creighton. Betty moved to Cherokee in 1946 and began working at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute. Betty earned her LPN degree in the first class of LPN graduates in the State of Iowa, at Cherokee Mental Health. During her nursing career of 42 years, she worked at: Cherokee Mental Health, Dickinson County Hospital, Hilltop Nursing Home in Spirit Lake, Dickinson County Care Facility, and Home Health Care. Betty also provided private childcare in her home for many years. Betty was a member of the Methodist churches in both Cherokee and Spirit Lake and was a member of the Ladies Circles. She taught Sunday School, VBS, and supervised the church nursery in Spirit Lake when her children were young. Betty was also a member of Eastern Star in Spirit Lake.

Betty was a gifted seamstress, she did professional alterations and custom clothing construction. She made wedding dresses for each of her daughters. Betty was also a skilled and prolific quilter. She enjoyed exhibiting her quilts at the county fairs in Dickinson, Clay and Cherokee Counties, in local quilt shows, and in an annual display at The Beck where she lived in her later years. Betty participated in quilting classes whenever she could as well as taught quilting classes.  She was a member of quilt guilds in Spencer, Cherokee, and Jackson, MN. She was a founding member of the Quilt Guild in Spirit Lake. She enjoyed making quilts for her family.

Betty enjoyed league bowling while living in Spirit Lake.  She enjoyed traveling, gardening, and decorating for all seasons but especially Christmas. Betty looked forward to preparing bags of candy for Halloween and making May baskets for her fellow residents at the Beck.

Betty was married to William "Bill" Bilney in 1947, in Cherokee.  They were married for 54 years and had six children.  Betty and Bill moved to Spirit Lake in 1958 and made their home there until Bill's death in 2001.  After Bill's passing Betty returned to Cherokee in 2002 to be closer to family.

Betty is survived by four children: Mick (Camille) Bilney of Arvada, CO; Deb (Dennis) Bush of Cleghorn, IA; Kathy (Rick) Geringer of Wheatland, WY; Eric (Lora) Bilney of Terril, IA; 11 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandson.; her siblings: Bonita LaFave, Bob Meikle,and Lynn Meikle all of Cherokee, IA; also many nieces and nephews.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William, sons Gene and Rick, sister Marcella Miller, and brother Leland Meikle.