Betty Jean Horzich

Betty Jean Horzich, 97, of Springfield, Missouri, passed away peacefully on September 27, 2026. Born November 1, 1928, in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, she was the eldest of eight children of Curtis Lester Vantrease and Bernice Moletta Mahaffey.

Betty grew up on a farm in Neodesha, Kansas, before attending business school in Kansas City, Kansas. In 1951, she married Joseph Horzich. Their life together took them to Kansas City, Kansas; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Northwoods, Illinois. Betty spent 50 years in Northwoods, raising their three children and creating a home filled with family, friends, and cherished memories. It was the place she always called home. Later in retirement Betty moved to Springfield, Missouri to be closer to her family.

Betty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and businesswoman. She had a gift for making friends and bringing joy wherever she went. Her daughter Joan remembered, “I’ve never met a person who knew my mother and didn’t sincerely tell me they loved her.”

Betty deeply appreciated the natural beauty around her. She loved gardening and plants, especially cacti and succulents, and visited gardens and parks wherever she traveled. She found beauty in every bloom and in life’s simplest things. She loved the outdoors and believed that sitting or working in the sunshine was the best medicine.

Her many interests included art glass, pottery, painting, sailing, music, and photography. She believed movement and activity kept her young and enjoyed yoga, chi-gong, and walking. A true “Go-Go Girl,” Betty was always active, having fun, and surrounded by a wide circle of loving friends.

Betty’s greatest legacy is the love she shared with family and friends and the joy she brought to everyone who knew her.

Betty is survived by her children, Joan Karen (Jeffrey) Yuza, Eric Richard (Anita) Horzich, and Marcia Lynn (Luke) Lin; her grandchildren, Jennifer Olivia Einwaechter, Aaron Daniel Saxton, Heather Agostini, and Allia Lin; and her great-grandchildren, Olivia Sophia Einwaechter, Francois Joseph Einwaechter, and Mayara Lin Agostini. She is also survived by her siblings, Reva Gayle Goode and Virgil Glen Vantrease.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Horzich, in 1996; her parents, Curtis Lester Vantrease and Bernice Moletta Mahaffey; and her siblings, Vernon Lester Vantrease, Richard Wayne Vantrease, Winnie Jo Miller, Bernetta Mae Bishop, and Patty Lever.

A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2026 with the memorial service following at Adams Funeral Home, Nixa. Arrangements are under the direction of Adams Funeral Home and cremation rites are accorded by Adams Crematory.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children Hospital at https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?msockid=04eba1f51ec7615a06e7b0471f6f60fa or Alzheimer's Association at https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate.