Betsy Pendleton Wong, 65, of Champaign passed away peacefully on Friday morning (Jan. 23, 2015) at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, after a courageous fight with cancer.

Betsy was born on Sept. 19, 1949, in Urbana, the daughter of John and Eleanor Pendleton. She met her soul mate and love of her life, Kam Wu Wong, on a float trip down the Grand Canyon and married him on Aug. 8, 1970, in Champaign.

She is survived by her loving husband; two sons, David (Adriane) of La Grange and Michael (Jennifer) of Elgin; a granddaughter, Allyssa, and two grandsons, Devin and Blake; her father, John (the late Eleanor) Pendleton; and siblings, Don (Julienne) Pendleton of Marshall, Ill., Pamela (Robert) Thickens of Mequon, Wis., Kip (Anne) Pendleton of Woodbury, Minn., and Sandie (Terese) Pendleton of Shorewood, Wis.

Also surviving are 11 nieces and nephews, three grand-nieces and nephews and her beloved dog, Bon-Bon.

Betsy received a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1971, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1974.

After graduating from law school, Betsy joined the law firm of Phebus, Tummelson, Bryan & Knox and subsequently opened her own law office and continued practicing law in Champaign County for 40 years.

Betsy practiced law with tenacity, a passion for justice, remarkable ingenuity and a deep loyalty to clients, often forging friendships with those whom she represented.

Betsy had a thirst for knowledge that led her to spend an endless number of hours reading books and frequenting the public library.

Betsy loved to travel, making trips throughout North and Central Americas, Europe and Asia. Her love to travel was motivated by her desire to learn about different cultures. Her other hobbies included gardening, seashell collecting, ballroom dancing, hiking and spending time in nature.

She enjoyed making new friends and was actively involved in the community through serving on the boards of United Way, The Reading Group, Community Foundation, University Place Christian Church and the University Club, being a member of P.E.O., mentoring of students and adults, and serving as a host family for foreign students.

She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, great friend, good cook, talented gardener and flower arranger and dedicated attorney.

In recent years she particularly enjoyed watching her grandchildren grow and playing with them while relaxing at her sanctuary lake house in Shangri La.

To help remember her, Betsy would have asked that you plant a flower in your garden in her memory or make a donation to one of her favorite groups: the Champaign Reading Group (readinggroup.org), United Way of Champaign County (uwayhelps.org), the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois (cfeci.org), the Urbana Parks Foundation (urbanaparks.org), or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (donate.lls.org).

Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy, is in charge of arrangements.