Betty M. Wilkinson took her final rest on April 17, 2026 in her home and was comforted by her loving and devoted sister, Georgetta “GiGi” Hocker and two nieces, Shontail M. Hocker and Jamie (Lomont) Hocker.

She was born March 6, 1943 in Lancaster, Kentucky to the late Joseph and Elizabeth Hocker.  Betty was proceeded in death by her daughter, Diana (Leavell) Boulder; son James Lewis Hocker Leavell; sisters Etta Mae Hocker, Mary C. Mucker, Elizabeth R. Warren, Gwendolyn J. Newcomb; brothers Joseph P. Hocker Jr., Allan Hocker Sr. and Horace Hocker; niece Joyce Hocker Mitchell; and nephews Alan Hocker Jr. and Andre Holloway.

Betty leaves to cherish her memory, a sister, Georgetta “GiGi” Hocker; a brother William Ethan (Donna) Hocker; brother-in-law Jimmy Newcomb, all of Lancaster, Kentucky; and an adopted sister, Arlean Key of Cincinnati, Ohio. Also left to cherish her memory is a host of very special nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and her senior companion, Lucy Ballew.

Long before Betty was anything, she was a daughter. A daughter who sacrificed her education to help raise her younger siblings while her parents worked to support the family.  Betty was a teacher’s aid at Lancaster Elementary and a retired seamstress from Cowden Manufacturing.  She was also a devoted and active member at St. Paul Predestinarian Baptist Church where she served on the Usher Board and a participant in Sunday School Service.

Betty put the word “true” in True Blue Fan.  She was an unwavering University of Kentucky Wildcats Fan. Go Big Blue! Betty was also a fan of the Cincinnati Reds Baseball team.

Betty was a tireless caretaker for multiple elderly ladies in the community.  She also left her home and moved to Springfield, Ohio to care for her aunts Dezzy Oats and Georgetta Hocker before moving them to Lancaster where family could help with the task of caretaking.

Betty raised not only her own children, but a multitude of children in the community and beyond.  She cared for, watched over, and guided them with the love God bestowed in her heart. She is famously known as “Aunt Betty” to all that know her, and if you got the opportunity to know her, you were definitely entertained by an angel. The light she carried will never be extinguished because she passed it on to all that she met.  Betty will be missed, but never forgotten, and forever loved.

Visitation will be 5:00 - 8:00 pm on Friday, April 24, 2026 at Spurlin Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 1:00 pm Saturday, April 25, 2026 at St. Paul Predestinarian Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Duncantown Cemetery.