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Visitation:
Monday, August 3, 2026, from 9 - 11 a.m. at Holland
Barry & Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln, Illinois.
Service:
Monday, August 3, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the funeral
home.
Funeral home: Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral
Home
Obituary
Betty Ann (Howle)
Leesman, 83, from Atlanta, Illinois, passed away,
surrounded by her family, on Saturday morning, July
25, 2026, at Copper Creek Cottages — Memory Care of
Lincoln.
She leaves behind her loving husband of over 65
years, Jerry Leesman of Atlanta, a daughter, Cathy (Leesman)
Rigg (Brett) of Atlanta, three grandchildren, Jesse
(Amy) Rigg of Carmel, Indiana, Samantha Deanne
Leesman of Kenney, and Hunter (Riley) Rigg of
Atlanta, along with five great-grandchildren, Dean,
Raegan, Maximus, Mackenna, and Rylan, along with so
many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is
also survived by two brothers and one sister, Phil
(Phyllis) Howle of Lecanto, Florida, Bill (Mary)
Howle of St. Charles, Missouri, and Becky (Bill)
Johnston of Paducah, Kentucky. In addition, she
leaves behind a special sister-in-law, Janet (Gene)
Martinez of Loveland, Colorado.
She was preceded in death by her parents, JC and
Kathleen (Medlin) Howle, a son, Steven “Steve”
Leesman, and a sister, Debbie (Gary) (Howle) Atkins.
Betty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and
great-grandmother. She was a homemaker, a babysitter
to her three grandchildren, and an election judge
for several years. She attended the Atlanta
Christian Church. Her faith was so important to her,
and she introduced her children to Jesus as they
were growing up. She lived out her faith through the
example of her life.
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In the 1970s, Betty was a part of the
Gospel-singing group, The New Faith Singers. They traveled to nearby churches
and events to sing and make music to the Lord. They recorded an album, The New
Faith Singers, and Betty sang a solo on the album, “Tears are a Language,,, God
Understands.”
Thank you to those who loved and cared for Betty at both Copper Creek Cottages —
Memory Care of Lincoln and Sugar Creek Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in
Normal.
A visitation in honor of Betty will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 9
a.m. until 11 a.m. at Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln, Illinois.
Her funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Her graveside service will
immediately follow at the Atlanta Cemetery in Atlanta, Illinois.
Memorials may be made in Betty’s name according to the giver’s choice.
In 1st Thessalonians 4:13-14, we read: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you
to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like
the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen
asleep in him.”
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