Obituary of Betty McManaway

Betty (Guge) McManaway passed on peacefully on January 29th, 2024.

She was born on May 16th, 1938 to Walter and Dorothy Guge of Elgin, Illinois as the first of five children. She married the love of her life, Ray (Ed) McManaway on February 16, 1957. In the months following their wedding, the two of them had quite the adventures. The week after their wedding they drove to California for Ed’s Army heavy vehicle training for 6 weeks. Upon finishing his training, they had less than a week to drive back to Chicago so he could catch a flight for him to begin his 18 months of active duty in Germany. Betty then worked for a few months to be able to afford to travel to Germany to join him. While over there, Ed had little time off, but they were able to road trip to various places. Their favorite trip was when they went to Paris and then the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium. After Ed’s service they returned to Wheeling, Illinois to start their family. They built their own home that was not completed until the day they moved out. In 1974 they moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin to start the next chapter of their life, farming and enjoying the country life. Upon moving to Whitewater, Betty held multiple different part time jobs, but her favorite one was as a mother and grandmother, always going to every game, concert, or event. She was able to do all of this while managing the books for the farm and keeping Ed in line.

Anyone who knew her knew she loved to be busy and always had to be doing something. She loved cooking, cleaning, golfing, gardening, and going on walks around the farm, even during the winter months.

She was predeceased by her brothers Joe and Leonard Guge; and is survived by husband, Ed; sons, Wally (Gina) and Gordy (Omlay); grandchildren, Erin and Thomas McManaway; brother, Al Guge, sister, Marilyn Bassler; and many nieces and nephews.

We wish to thank Stephanie and Jess from Hearthstone for their help over the past two years, John and Nancy Hoffmann for their life-long friendship and support and the numerous other friends, family and neighbors that visited or left an impact on her life.

A combined celebration of life service will be held for both Ed and Betty on Saturday, April 6 at First United Methodist Church. Visitation will be at 10 am and the service will be at 11 am. A lunch will follow in Fellowship Hall.