Betty Lawton Hartwick, 89, foster daughter of Frederick Clifton & Zida Malinda (May) Whetstone, passed away on  March 6, 2013 at Hickory Creek Nursing Home in Hicksville, Ohio.

Betty was born on July 15, 1923, and named Ardith Irene Cole, in Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. She was taken into the Whetstone family at age seven, on September 22, 1930, and her name was changed to Betty Lawton Whetstone. She lived on Oak Ranch west of Defiance, Ohio until she married Alva Roy Smith in 1939.
In 1963, Betty married Otto Hartwick & he preceded her in death in 1979. She continued to live at Oak Ranch, until she was admitted to Hickory Creek Nursing Home in October of 2007.

She worked for the Zeller Corporation during WWII. In the early 1950's, Betty became one of the first cab drivers in Defiance. She also worked at Eckert Meat Packing plant & was an inspector for General Motors Power Train for 44 years, retiring in 1991.

Betty is survived by her three sons, Edgar Allan (Sharron) Smith of Cecil, OH, son, Frederick Lynn Smith of Fremont, IN, & Douglas Darrell (Sharon) Smith of Katy, TX, 8 Grandchildren, & 7 Great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and foster parents: Frederick Clifton Whetstone & Zida (May) Whetstone, her loving husband, Otto F. Hartwick and a daughter, Nedra Lou (John) Tipping in 2002.

Visitation will be held Saturday, March 09, 2013 from 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm at Hanenkrath-Clevenger-Schaffer Funeral Home, Inc., Defiance, Ohio.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, March 10, 2013, 1:00 pm at the Hanenkrath-Clevenger-Schaffer Funeral Home, Defiance, Ohio, with Pastor Bill Oberlin officiating.

A private burial will take place on Monday at Riverview Memory Gardens.

Memorials are suggested to the Hickory Creek Nursing Home in Hicksville, Ohio . Online condolences can be given at www.HCSFuneralHome.com.