Elizabeth James

Elizabeth (Betty) Louise Hedge James was born April 5, 1924 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Martha Elizabeth Jones and Clarence Hedge. As first child to Lilly and Clarence, Betty looked after her younger sister Barbara as a mother and older sister would do when their mother died unexpectedly in 1932. Their father later remarried and had three more children, Harold, Ron and Karen. Betty and her sister did the best they could to be pillars and big sisters to these three younger siblings. The family, though often fragmented, survived due to their contributions and love. Her brother Harold tells of how Betty and Barbara would come home from St. Louis and help take care of them on the weekends. When Sunday evening came and they had to head to the bus stop Harold says “Oh how we would cry! It came to the point they would have to sneak away!” At 12 years of age, Betty decided it was time to go to work. Without understanding the protocol of job hunting, she walked into the local radio station and announced that she was ready to work. When asked what she could do, she promptly answered “I can sing.” So they hired her to sing the then live commercials on air. It is with the song in her heart and always seeing there was always a sunny side of the street did she pursue her dreams. Working on the Golden Rod Showboat docked in St. Louis, Missouri, Betty lived and acted within the performing and visual art scene which was quite vivid in the 1940’s. While modeling costumes from the theater at Washington University, Betty met Anton Francis James, an artist and painting major whom she married. Their travels took them to Boston, New York, and England over the next few years. Betty acted for the theater company Circle on the Square in New York City where she developed as an actress. Her acting included parts in the production of Long Day’s Journey into Night with director Jose Quintero and The Playboy of the Western World with Peter Falk. Betty and Anton had five children: Darya Maude born in New York City, Brian L’Orient and Eliot St. Hill both born in Washington DC, Sally Patricia and Alice Antonia born Sussex County, England. Due to her talent, kindness and mutual respect she made lasting friendships with those she met during her theatre years. For many years we would all look forward to the letters from actor G. Wood whom she always adored, and kept her in touch with that part of her which was so important to her. Betty and Anton returned to the United States in 1969, where she raised their children on a little farm in Hardin, Illinois. She did many things to make ends meet, but remaining an actress at heart, always singing a song, insisting that timing was everything and reminding her children to stand up straight. In addition to work as an actress, Betty owned and managed the Wigwam Restaurant in Hardin, Illinois where she made delicious homemade glazed donuts, cinnamon rolls and bread; was a librarian for the Hardin Library and a held a variety of other clerical and service jobs over the years. Retiring in 1986, Betty moved to Moberly with her son Bryan. She enjoyed many years caring for her grandchildren and spending time with family. Betty, Mom, Mommy, Granny, Omah, Aunt Betty leaves behind so many who dearly miss her! Betty is preceded in death by Anton; sisters Barbara and Karen; brother Ron and nephew Tony Joseph. She is survived by her children, Darya and husband Greg Kohls of Moberly, MO, Bryan James of Moberly, MO, Eliot James and wife Diana of Thomas Hill Lake, MO, Sally and husband Gene Horbelt of Elsah, IL, and Alice and husband Japheth Howard of Cochrane, Alberta, Canada; grandchildren, Christopher Slone and wife Rachel of Alton, IL, Emily (Kohls) Homan and husband Matt of Overland Park, KS, Audrey (Kohls) McCurdy, husband Mike and daughter Madeline of Grain Valley, MO, Allison Kohls of Sacramento, CA, David Paul of Warden, IL, Audrey Playter and husband Eric and sons Ellis, Oliver and Asa of Lee’s Summit, MO and Logan Shearer of Moberly, MO; brother, Harold and wife Patricia Hedge of Rockford, IL, many nieces and nephews, including Alex Joseph and wife Becky and family of Carrollton, IL, Tracy Joseph and wife Rose of Kampsville, IL and Mary Alice and husband Eric Olsen of Rockford, IL. Join us to celebrate her life as an actress, mother and friend. Visitation is 9-11 am at St. Pius X Church followed by memorial mass at 11 am Saturday 23rd of April. It was Betty’s desire that a stone or monument be placed so that Bryan and other family members would have someplace to come visit. Memorial Contributions to help fulfill this wish in her memory may be made to Darya Kohls, 1012 Fisk Ave., Moberly, MO 65270.