Betty C. Tower

Betty Colleen (Groh) Tower, 75, of Shelbyville, died Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at Major Hospital. Born Sept. 14, 1930, in Bloomington, she was the daughter of the late Lowell and Lena (Easton) Groh. She married James H. Tower Jr. M.D. on Sept. 9, 1951, and he survives. Other survivors include four daughters, Dr. Elizabeth (husband, Harry) Miller of South Bend, Dr. Linda Tower (husband, Dr. Gary) Borchert of Shelbyville, Alyce (husband, Frank) DeGennaro of Hockessin, Del., and Lori (husband, Tim) Hamilton of Elkridge, Md.; one sister, Sue (husband, Jack) Shaw of Potomac, Md.; and nine grandchildren, James Miller, Sarah Miller, Emily Borchert, Rebecca Borchert, James Borchert, Maggie DeGennaro, David DeGennaro, Erynn DeGennaro and Katie Hamilton. Mrs. Tower was a homemaker and the office manager of her husband?s medical practice. She had been a 4-H leader and Girl Scout leader, medical records librarian and former PTA president. Mrs. Tower graduated in 1948 from Bloomington High School as valedictorian and from Indiana University, where she was the first recipient of the Medical Records Library Science Degree. She was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church where she had organized and directed the bell choir; had been a Methodist youth group leader, Sunday school teacher and junior church leader; and was a member of the United Methodist Women. She also was a member of Wesley Foundation at Indiana University; Tri Kappa; PEO; and 50-year member of Bloomington chapter of Eastern Star. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Freeman Family Funeral Homes, Carmony-Ewing Broadway Chapel, 232 W. Broadway St.; and from noon to 1 p.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church, 34 W. Washington St. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the church, with the Rev. Dr. Rick Miller and the Rev. Robert Campbell officiating. Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, 34 W. Washington St., Shelbyville, IN 46176; or Major Hospital Foundation, 150 W. Washington St., Shelbyville, IN 46176. Online condolences can be sent to www.carmony-ewing.com.