Beatrice L. Roberts, 87, of rural Knoxville died at 10:54 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria.
She was born Jan. 26, 1938, in Galesburg, the daughter of Chester and Florence (Wilson) Cooley. She married Charles Raymond Roberts on Sept. 17, 1998, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Surviving Beatrice is her daughter, Tonia (William) Morris of Galesburg; grandchildren, Amber Hunborg, Levi (Catlyn) Morris, Savannah Morris, Tara Petty, Danika Hunborg and C.J. (Alora) Hunborg; many great-grandchildren; brother, Chet (Linda) Cooley of Galesburg; and stepchildren, Raylene Roberts, Dale Roberts and Barb Petty-Shook.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter, Diana Charles; her angel babies; and siblings, Bonnie, Savannah Katie, Doris and Jessie.
Beatrice worked as a nurse’s aide at the former Galesburg Mental Health Center in Galesburg, a job she truly loved. After its closure, she farmed alongside her husband, which she enjoyed even more.
Her favorite pastimes included sewing, reading and traveling the world with her husband. Together they visited all 50 states and multiple countries. Along the way, Bea enjoyed visiting casinos, hunting mushrooms, listening to music and dancing with her husband. She also cherished spending time with her granddaughter, Amber.
Bea was kind, sweet, funny and feisty. She found great joy in helping others and was a giving and loving person who delighted in seeing others happy. She also enjoyed dressing up in her sparkles, always classy and glamorous. One of her greatest passions was making dollhouses for little girls, and it brought her pure joy to see their smiles when she gifted them one.
To know Bea was to love her.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Homes and Crematory in Knoxville. Private funeral services will follow, with burial in Abingdon Cemetery.
Online condolences or expressions of sympathy may be made through www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhomes.com.
