Betty Jean Sime, 77, died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, from complications associated with glandular carcinoma. Betty was born in Albert Lea on Oct. 26, 1933, the daughter of Bert and Loellen (Hotchkiss) Anderson. On April 25, 1953, she married Warren E. Sime in Albert Lea.

In addition to her husband Warren, Betty is survived by daughters: Connie (Paul) Caucutt of Waunakee, Wis., and Julie (Bob) Cook of Fitchburg, Wis.; grandsons: Austin and Ryan Cook; sister, Mary Frodin of Mauston, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her son, Warren (Wes) Eugene Sime, II; her parents; brother, Ben Anderson; and sisters: Erma Anderson, Katherine Miller and Edith Cobb.

Betty was a loving wife and wonderful mother and grandmother. She was a gentle, humble woman who showed compassion, kindness, patience and respect to all people. She taught us that what matters most in life is how we treat others. Her ability to unconditionally love and accept others was truly a gift bestowed to those fortunate enough to have known her. She was a quiet, confident, hard-working woman who displayed incredible strength and grace in the face of adversity whether it was the loss of her father as a child, a serious auto accident as a teenager, the loss of her son as a mother, or her repeated fights with cancer. Betty exemplified the art of “blooming where you are planted” and brought joy to all those around her. As a grandmother, she showered her grandsons with love and “made the best fruit smoothies.” Her wonderful sense of humor and expressive Irish eyes sparkled until the very end. She was truly “a saint with a sense of humor” and will be dearly missed.

Private services for Betty will be held at Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison, Wis. She will be buried at the Silver Lake Lutheran Cemetery in Hartland Township, Northwood, in Worth County, Iowa.

Memorials in Betty’s name may be gifted to Bethel Horizons Endowment Foundation — Sime Family Memorial Fund, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 or to the Dane County Humane Society, 5132 Voges Road, Madison, WI 53718.