Elizabeth Fye

Elizabeth (Betty) Fye, 87, a woman of great beauty and grace, of kindness and compassion, left this life November 3, 2017 in Liberty Village, Manor Court in Freeport, IL surrounded by her loving family. She was born February 18, 1930 to Andrew and Theodora (Leban) Lawson in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. On July 14, 1951 she married John Fye in Royston, Hertfordshire, England after he swept her off her feet when they first met on the dance floor in Royston. Together they danced gracefully and with great joy for most of their 66 years together. Betty spent her early years in Alexandria, Egypt, one of the postings of her father who was serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF). During World War II as a young girl living in Royston, she experienced the challenges of war time, even once sheltering under the kitchen table with her brothers and sister when a buzz bomb, intended for the local rail line, exploded in their back garden. She and her sister were sent to boarding school for safety for the remainder of the war; she then stayed in Royston where she was employed at the J.M. Dents Book Club. Two of her three children were born in England, with her third born in the USA to which they emigrated in 1961. With a flair for interiors, she worked at Don Smith Furniture in Freeport for many years, ending her working life as the librarian at Blackhawk School in Freeport, a position she loved as she really enjoyed introducing children to the magic of books. Her greatest passion was her husband and family, but she was also an amazing cook who delighted her family and others with English specialties like trifle and sausage rolls and Yorkshire pudding. Her talent for gardening was admired by all as she created her beautiful English garden here in Freeport. Family and visitors could always count on a cup of tea and a biscuit (cookie) at every visit in her lovely and inviting home. With John, she raised three children Christopher (Pat Leitzen) Fye and Eleanor (Daniel) Carr, both of Freeport, IL and Rodger (Laura Freeman) Fye of Winnebago, IL. She was loved and adored by eight grandchildren, Evan (Amanda Eberle) Fye of Madison WI, MacKenzie Fye, Chicago IL, Jordan Fye of Vail, Colorado; Nicole (Lance) Wheeler and Christine (Dean) Pattat of Freeport, IL, Danny (Zuzanna) Carr of Prague, Czech Republic; Logan Fye of Milwaukee WI and Kelsie Fye of Madison WI, and she delighted in the arrival of each of her six great-grandchildren, Elena and Emma Wheeler, Harrison Carr, McKenna and Maycee Pattat, and Felix Fye. She is survived by her husband John, and one brother, William Lawson in Kircaldy, Scotland. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Mary Henson, and brother Andrew Lawson. Visitation will be held at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home on Monday November 6, 2017, from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. with a funeral mass at St. Thomas Catholic Church on Tuesday November 7, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Kenneth Anderson will officiate. A memorial has been established for FHN Hospice in Betty's memory. Please sign her guestbook and share a remembrance at www.burketubbs.com.