Singing came naturally to Dixon woman

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DIXON – Music was Betty Waldschlager’s lifelong pursuit, whether singing with area music stars or singing “O, Holy Night” at Christmas church services – and she couldn’t read a note of it.

Born in Dixon, Betty always sang, and joined the adult choir at First Baptist Church, Dixon when she was 16. Her daughter, Terry Engle of Minnetonka, Minn., said, “She couldn’t read music. It was all natural talent. She could harmonize with anything.”

Betty Waldschlager died June 15 at CGH Medical Center, at the age of 77.

Betty’s gift for music ranged from religious to popular music, and she performed once on a Freeport radio station with Walter “Wes Holly” Ortgiesen, a musician and entertainer who also was born in Dixon.

Charlotte Brainerd, Betty’s aunt of Dixon, said her niece was very involved at First Baptist.

Brainerd said, “She held practically every office. She spent years in the choir.”

Betty gave of her time in other ways, singing at area nursing homes and working as a pink lady at the KSB Hospital auxiliary. She was also known to cut a rug every so often.

Engle said, “She loved dancing, casual dancing. She just liked to get out there and move.”