Bettie Lou (Cruzan) Bird, 88, of Tuscola, passed away peacefully at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, December 23, 2021 at St. Mary's Hospital, Decatur, IL

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at the Hilligoss Shrader Funeral Home, 705 South Main Street, Tuscola, IL with Rev. Terri Haas officiating. Burial will be in the Tuscola Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Bettie was born on July 13, 1933 in Tuscola, the daughter of Harmon and Annabel Rideout Cruzan. She married Paul Bird on March 19, 1955 in Tuscola.  He preceded her in death on January 12, 2012.

Bettie is survived by her son, Bruce Bird and wife Karrie of Mt. Zion; daughter, Laura Bird Smith and husband Gordo of Longmeadow, MA; 4 grandchildren: Justin Bird, Elizabeth Bird, McKelvie Smith and Kylee Smith; and her beloved special companion, Dean Crider of St. Joseph.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Bird, her parents and her sister, Lois Adams.

Bettie graduated from TCHS in 1951 and from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago in 1954. She worked as a pediatric nurse in Colorado until she and Paul started their family; she then stayed home to raise the children. She returned to work in the early 1980s at First Federal Bank of Tuscola, where she worked for 20 years, retiring as Branch Manager in 2001.

Spoiling her grandchildren, raising African violets, traveling, playing dominoes and cards, socializing at morning coffee gatherings, and taking drives on country roads were some of her favorite pastimes.  She was a longtime member and officer of the Margaret Scott African Violet Society, and she was an original member of the Happy Keenager Kitchen Band.  She was a member of the Tuscola United Methodist Church.

Memorials are suggested to Dream Catchers of Macon County, c/o Judi Sturgell, 1163 Buckeye Lane, Decatur, IL 62521

Online condolences may be shared via hilligossshraderfh.com