Betty Maxine Tuttle

Betty Maxine Tuttle, 83, of Robinson, IL, passed away on Thursday, March 31, 2022, in the comfort of her home. She was born March 26, 1939, in Robinson, IL, the daughter of Max Allen Hill & Crystal Alene (Drennen) Hill McCain. Her mother owned a restaurant at Gordon Junction, so from an early age, Betty was given a taste of how to work with the public. This experience would serve her well throughout her professional life.

As a young woman, she would paint houses for local residents, which made her a regular at the Pittsburgh Paint Store. When the owner's wife died, Betty asked if he needed help, and the rest, as they say, is history! She would work here for the first 16 years of her career, helping many in the area select paint colors for their homes. When Pittsburgh Paint closed its doors, she went to work for what was then Big Buck Lumber, where, over the next 32 years, she earned the title of "The Paint Lady", a moniker she was particularly proud to own. By the time she retired from Niehaus Lumber at the age of 80, she had built relationships with many wonderful customers and dear friends, each of whom could attest to the fact that the woman didn't know a stranger!

Life outside of the store often found her antiquing. In fact, her fondness for these treasures from yesteryear led Betty and her son, Otis, to run the Brown Dog Antique Store in Palestine for a time. The store's name was apropos, considering the love she gave to many canine companions through the years! When she wasn't caring for her dog, chances were that she'd be tending to the flowers around her house. Though they brought color to her home, it could be said that her family brought color to her life.

Betty was an active partner in her husband's business, Otie's Electric, and a great supporter of her son when he took the company over. This lifelong Crawford County resident was able to take in the sights of France, Italy, Ireland, and many others alongside her daughters, making memories with them that she would cherish for the rest of her days. The twilight years of her life found Betty adoring her grandchildren, who were each the apple of their grandmother's eye. Her generous love lives on in her family's hearts, leaving behind a legacy that will far outlast her 83 well-lived years.

She is survived by her daughters from her first marriage to James Conley: Kathryn & husband Allen Wehrmann (Champaign, IL) and Jennifer & Erwin Swinford (Robinson, IL); by her son from her marriage to Otis Tuttle: Otis Ray Tuttle III & wife Lori (Robinson, IL); by four grandchildren: Travis Swinford, Lydia Swinford, Jacob Tuttle, and Morgan Tuttle; and by her beloved nieces: Terri, Sheri, and Debra.

She was preceded in death by her parents; by her husband, Otis R. "Otie" Tuttle; and by her sisters, Mona Lou Leuenberger and Mary Bayus.

Private family services will be held, with burial to follow in the Robinson New Cemetery. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is in charge of these arrangements.

In Betty's memory and in honor of her last devoted canine companion, Max, who stayed by her bedside until her passing, the family asks that donations be made to the "Crawford County Humane Society" in lieu of flowers so that other animals can find a forever home.

Her family plans to have a public celebration of her life this coming May.