Betty P. McKenzie

Betty Pearl McKenzie was born on January 3, 1939, in Joliet, IL, the youngest of  twelve children born to Lucius Grant Sims and Malissa (Thigpen) Sims. She is predeceased by her parents, as well as siblings, Narvis, Harvis, James, Ada, Osbourne, Elmer, Delmar, Lester, Lucius Jr., Benny, and Patsy.

After graduating from Joliet Township High School, Betty attended nursing school, then worked as a Registered Nurse at Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet. During that time, she met her future husband, Bennet McKenzie. The two married and moved to the south side of Chicago, where they bought a home and eventually brought three daughters, Melissa, Alison, and Laura into the world. Ben and his “B-Pearl” were married for nearly fifty years, until his passing in 2014. After settling in Chicago, Betty continued to work as a nurse before transitioning to selling real estate and then opening a Baskin-Robbins franchise with her husband. She became a pillar of her community, serving as a Girl Scouts leader, swim team mom, and a devoted member of Bethany Lutheran Church, where she headed up the 50+ group, sang in the choir, ran the church book exchange and served on the board. 

Betty was an avid reader who could always be found with an Agatha Christie mystery or a Harlequin romance novel in her hand. She was also the ultimate social butterfly, who could strike up a conversation with anyone, in any situation. She served as the social director at every holiday function, from organizing the family Easter egg hunt, to providing sparklers and snappers for the neighborhood kids on the Fourth of July, or just whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookies when her children’s friends dropped by.  She and Ben were also keen travelers, hitting the road every summer for family trips all over the USA, as well as to Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean.  

She leaves to cherish her memories: her three daughters, Melissa, Alison, and Laura, her granddaughter Amarii McKenzie, her great-grandson Xyamore Saeed-Trammel, and a host of nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends, all of whom loved her dearly. 

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