In Memoriam: Betty Horton, PhD, CRNA, FAAN (1936-2025)

Betty Joan (Beggs) Horton, 89, of Tower Hill, Illinois, passed away on December 27, 2025, at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Shelbyville with Pastor Nathan Woolery officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Private burial will take place in Canaan Cemetery, Searcy County, Marshall, Arkansas. Memorial contributions can be made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1201 N. Chestnut, Shelbyville, IL 62565, or to the Betty Horton Leadership Award at Decatur Memorial Hospital’s Nurse Anesthesia Program, 2300 N. Edward St., Decatur, IL 62526. Lockart-Green Funeral Home in Shelbyville is assisting the family.

Dr. Horton was born on August 10, 1936, in Decatur, the fourth daughter of the late Paul R. and Nona B. Beggs. She graduated from Decatur High School, and Decatur and Macon County Hospital’s School of Nursing prior to marrying Earl M. Horton in 1958 in Joliet. They had three children and were married 56 years before her husband’s death in 2015. During their marriage, she graduated from Decatur Memorial Hospital’s School for Nurse Anesthetists.

She also earned degrees at the University of St. Francis, University of Illinois at Springfield, Case Western Reserve University, and Rush University (PhD in Nursing). Professional honors included Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists’ (AANA) Helen Lamb Outstanding Education Award, and the Agatha Hodgins Outstanding Leadership Award. Dr. Horton also received the Hermi Lohnert Award from the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists, and awards from the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthetists and the Decatur Memorial Hospital Anesthesia Alumni Association.

Dr. Horton was employed as the Nurse Anesthesia Program Director in Decatur for over 20 years. She left this position in 1990 to become the Director of Accreditation and Education for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) and Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program (COA) in Park Ridge. During her career, Dr. Horton worked as a consultant to universities, nurse anesthesia programs, and governmental and private organizations on education and accreditation matters both nationally and internationally.

Her state, national and international activities include serving as President of the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, a member of the APRN Consensus Process Work Group for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Alliance for Nursing Accreditation, and Chair of the Education Committee for the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists. At the international level, she led a process for the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (IFNA) to approve education programs worldwide based on international education standards endorsed by the International Council of Nurses. She was later named manager of IFNA’s Anesthesia Program Approval Process.

Community service activities included participation as a public member on the Boards of Directors for the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation, the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission, the Board of Directors of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers, and the American Psychological Association Affairs’ Appeal Panel. She served the United States Department of Education as a participant in the Triad Group for state government, federal government, and accreditation, and twice as a non-federal negotiator to develop regulations for the accreditation section of the Higher Education Act.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Earl, three sisters, Margie J. Rickey, Hazel R. Cloyd, and Beverly A. Ewing, three brothers-in-law, and one sister-in-law.

Survivors include her children, Diane (James) Hopper of Marysville, Ohio, Steven Horton, and Wayne Horton, both of Tower Hill; grandchildren, Ryan Hopper of Marysville, Ohio, Sarah (Brad) West of Johnstown, Ohio, and Diane (Brian) Bunton of Lakewood; great-grandchildren, Jacob and Lucas West of Johnstown, Ohio, Derrick (Sydney) Knearem of Cowden and Andrew Force of Decatur; three great-great-grandchildren and a multitude of greatly loved nieces, nephews and cousins.

Family and friends are invited to light a candle or share a story here.

We celebrate the exceptional life and legacy of Betty Horton, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, through her love of family, service, and nurse anesthesia. She was an inspiration and role model to many of us. Through her roles with the AANA, COA, and IFNA, she helped guide nurse anesthesia education standard-setting throughout the United States and internationally. Dr. Horton was honored with numerous distinctions, including Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing, the AANA’s Agatha Hodgins Outstanding Accomplishment Award, the AANA’s Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award, and IFNA’s Hermi Lohnert Award. She was chair of the IFNA Education Committee and the brainchild of the IFNA’s international Anesthesia Program Approval Process (APAP), serving as the first IFNA APAP manager. Over the last decade, she served as secretary of Our Hearts Your Hands, Inc., a charity to help nurse anesthetists in low-income countries obtain education. Her contributions were immeasurable. Beyond titles and honors, Dr. Horton was a mentor, a visionary, and a champion for excellence in nursing. Her influence lives on through the countless professionals she guided and the global impact of her work. I count myself lucky to have had her as a mentor, friend, supporter, and counsel. Her legacy will continue to inspire for generations to come.

Jackie Rowles, Former AANA President, President International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists, Founder and President Our Hearts Your Hands, Inc.