Betty Lou Flora Marie (Mansholt) Eyman, 89, of Greenville, died at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, at her residence.
Visitation was held on Monday, Feb. 21, at Assalley-Young Funeral Home in Greenville. It will continue on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at St. Peter United Church of Christ, located at 1670 Hookdale Road in Smithboro, from 10 to 11 a.m. Funeral services will follow at the church at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Lisa Martin officiating. Interment will follow the ceremony at German Cemetery in Smithboro.
Mrs. Eyman was born May 31, 1932, in Vandalia, the daughter of Lawrence “Babe” and Dolores (Greimann) Mansholt. She married Charles Eugene Eyman on Aug. 4, 1949 in Morganfield, KY, and he preceded her in death on Sept.14, 2005.
Mrs. Eyman was an incredible person, loved by so many and always knew how to brighten someone’s day and make them feel loved. Being blessed with nine children, her home was the gathering site once a month of 50-plus children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to celebrate the birthdays of that month. She looked forward to those special Sundays by cooking favorite dishes and baking numerous pies.
A stay-at-home wife and mom, she loved gardening, sewing, cooking, playing pinochle and just visiting with family and friends. She found much joy working in her beautiful gardens with a shiny sharpened hoe in hand. Sewing and quilting filled her winter days and evenings. One would have fierce competition with Mrs. Eyman in pie-making; she had been known to make 15 or more pies in a day for the Home Extension food stand at the Bond County Fair. Always ready for a game of pinochle, there were many Friday night pizza parties at her house with grandkids (all wanting to be grandma’s pinochle partner).
She was a 4-H leader, member of the Bond County Home Extension, quilting group and St. Peter’s United Church of Christ. A favorite church event was the annual sausage supper. For the supper, she made gallons of the tastiest applesauce, and had a knack for making some of the best sausage gravy. In recent years, she loved volunteering at the Thrift Shop making dear friendships there.
Mrs. Eyman is survived by her children, Charles (Laurel) Eyman of Greenville, Mary (Dave) Grant of Petersburg, Lola Horsfall of Greenville, Jackie (Paul) Clay of Vandalia, Jill (John) Clubb of St. Louis, MO, Dale (Kris) Eyman of Greenville, Tom (Cathy) Eyman of Greenville, Mark (Bev Leyburn) Eyman of Licking, MO and Scott (Sara) Eyman of Taylorville; grandchildren, Lynn Eyman of Greenville, John (Tara) Eyman of Greenville, Tiffany (Umair) Nazeer of Chicago, Morgan Grant of Petersburg, Justin (Maribeth) Grant of Springfield, Joe (Rachel) Horsfall of Edwardsville, Ashley (fiancé, Jesse Shaw) Horsfall of St. Louis, MO, Jason (Jaclyn) Clay of Vandalia, Ryan (Jessica) Clay of Edwardsville, Elizabeth (Mike) Petrowich of Troy, Leah (Kevin) Budd of Atlanta, GA, Wes (Samantha) Clubb of Ozark, MO, Angie (Jerry) Wall of Greenville, Brad (Alicia) Eyman of Highland, David Eyman of St. Charles, MO, Stacey (Diego) Gamino of Greenville, Amy (Josh) Maroon of Greenville, Josh Eyman of Greenville, Kayla Eyman of Greenville, Madisyn Eyman of Taylorville, Reganne Eyman of Taylorville and Payton Eyman of Taylorville; 33 great-grandchildren and a sister, Connie (Dave) Eilmann of Wright City, MO.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law, JoAnn and Leo Linton; son-in-law, Bob Horsfall, granddaughter, Lindsay Grant and great-granddaughters, Grace and Nora Nazeer.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter United Church of Christ of German Cemetery.
Please visit www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com to share memories of Mrs. Eyman or offer condolences to her family.
