COLUMBUS
Betty Ann Behrman Ryle, age 81 died Friday, November 12, 2021 at 12:30 a.m.
Betty was born to Robert Frederick and Olga Elizabeth Meyer Behrman on November 12, 1940 in their family farm home by the Lowell Covered Bridge northwest of Columbus.
Betty was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. She graduated from St. Peter’s Lutheran School with the class of 1954 and was a member of the 1958 graduating class of Columbus High School. She married Norman Wayne Ryle on April 15, 1961 in the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Columbus, IN. They were married 58 years.
Betty retired in 2005 from ArvinMeritor with 32 years of service where she worked as an Administrative Assistant and Receptionist in the Engineering Department. She was a member of the Arvin Quarter Century Club. Before she began her career with Arvin, she worked at Carrico Furniture and also at Reeves Pulley Company, Division of Reliance Electric and Engineering on 7th Street in the Accounting Department.
Betty was a seamstress and enjoyed sewing clothes for herself, her daughter and grandchildren. She was especially proud of the wedding dress she made for her daughter with thousands of hand sewed pearls and sequins. In recent years, she enjoyed repurposing old family quilts, ties, and needle craft items into bears and dolls which she gave as gifts to family members for keepsakes. She made Sunbonnet Sue and Suspender Sam quilts, and keepsake T-shirt quilts for her children and grandchildren. She also did counted cross stitch pictures for family members.
Betty was interested in family genealogy. She and her cousin, Donna Behrman Watkins, researched their Behrman and Strietelmeier ancestors and had books printed titled, “The Behrman Family of Bartholomew County, Indiana” and “The Strietelmeier Family of Bartholomew County, Indiana”. Copies of these books can be found locally at the Bartholomew County Library, the Bartholomew County Historical Society, and the Bartholomew County Court House Archives. Betty also did genealogy research on the Meyer, Toburen, VonFange, Ryle and Schroeder families.
Betty was also interested in Columbus history. She attended local auctions and collected antiques. She enjoyed exhibiting items in the Open Class Division at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair and the Indiana State Fair. She enjoyed playing cards with friends and family. She especially enjoyed her grandchildren and attending their many activities as they grew up.
She is survived by a son, Jeffrey Wayne (Debra) Ryle of Macomb, Michigan and a daughter, Julie Anne (Rob) Simpson of Columbus. Several grandchildren, among them are Jordan (Nicole) Simpson of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Jessica (Conner) Yentz of Groton, Conn., Elijah Simpson of Charleston, South Carolina, Ellie Simpson of Celebration, Florida, Anthony (Lindsey) Osborne of Southport, Heather (Mario) Gomez and Jennifer (Rob) Karaffa of Macomb, Michigan. Several great-grandchildren, among them are Charles, Kayden Reese, Carter, Nova, and Rylee (due February 3, 2022) Simpson, Thea and Beth Yentz, Dezi, Archie, and Josie-Rose Karaffa, Adrienne (Qeon) Gray, Ethan Gomez, and Olivia and Emery Osborne; great-great grandchildren, Mya and Sidney Gray. Sisters Carol (Larry) Barnhill and Ruth (Mike) Musillami and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Norman on January 10, 2020.
The funeral will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 19th, 2021 at Barkes, Weaver &Glick Funeral Home on Washington Street with Scott Hundley officiating. Family and friends may gather for visitation from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Burial will be at Garland Brook Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Bartholomew County Human Society.
Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the Ryle family and a video tribute viewed at www. barkesweaverglick.com.
