Betty June Kaebel

Betty was born in Herrin, Illinois on April 26, 1933 to John M. and Lucille (Howell) Hodges.

She is survived by her son, David Meyer (Rae Ann) of Madison, Alabama; two grandchildren, Dylan Meyer of Boulder, Colorado and Alexandra Meyer of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; her nieces Susan (Karl) Kaebel of Pekin, Illinois and Corrie Bennett of Phoenix, Arizona, and many beloved cousins, grand-nephews and grand-nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, John M. Hodges, Jr., her nephew, John (Skip) M. Hodges, III, and her nephew-in-law, Bruce Bennett.

Betty spent her formative years in Bloomington, Illinois and graduated from Bloomington High School in 1951.

Driven by an intense determination and loaded with talent, she left Bloomington after graduating high school, moved to Boston and then eventually to New York City to pursue a career in opera. She had a very successful singing career with a run on the Arthur Godfrey Show, a Fulbright Scholarship in Italy, and she has sang in lead coloratura soprano roles all over the United States and Europe working with some of the finest conductors and orchestras using both her maiden name of Betty Hodges and her stage name of Luisa de Sett.

Betty returned to Central Illinois, settling in Pekin to be with family and to start her own. She has been an active and engaged Pekin resident serving her community, Pekin’s First Christian Church, and has continued to work for Karl Kaebel Realty because she loved interacting with and helping her various clients.

She played golf and tennis in various leagues for many years throughout the Pekin area.

Her pride and joy were her two grandchildren and she also loved spending time with all of her nephews and nieces. Still a supporter of the arts and always showing a desire to learn, she loved attending Heartland Festival Orchestra events and began to learn the mandolin a year ago.

Betty lived a full, amazing life and touched countless people along the way. She will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Her visitation will be 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. A private burial will be at Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to the First Christian Church of Pekin, 1201 Chestnut Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554 or YWCA Pekin, 315 Buena Vista Avenue, Pekin, Illinois 61554 or Heartland Festival Orchestra, 8500 Knoxville Avenue, Suite G, Peoria, Illinois 61615.

To express condolences online visit, www.preston-hanley.com