Dr. Betsy Holli

Betsy was born in 1933 in Burlington, Vermont. She was the daughter of Walter and Ruth Biggar. Betsy was raised in Vermont, Virginia and Massachusetts. She earned her BS at the University of Massachusetts, MS at The Ohio State University, and EdD at Northern Illinois University. She married Dr. Melvin G. Holli in 1961. They were long-time residents of River Forest and Wheaton, IL

Dr. Betsy B. Holli was a professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at Dominican University from 1970 through retirement in 2004. She directed the American Dietetic Association program for over 20 years at the university. As a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist (RDN), she previously worked at the University of Illinois Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center (formerly known as Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center), the University of Michigan Medical Center and The Ohio State University Medical Center.

Interested in nutrition counseling and promoting health behavior change, Dr. Holli published “Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills for Dietetics Professionals” the first edition in 1986 through the eighth edition “Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Practical Guide” in 2023.

Betsy held strong family values and loved to organize gatherings whether they were at home or at their cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She loved reading, conversations with others, and truly valued helping people she encountered in her life: be it in her professional or personal life.

Survivors include a daughter Susan (Christopher) Swinford, a son Steven (Jeanine Izzo), grandchildren Holli and Alexander Swinford, a sister Jane Oakes, favorite cousin G. Gordon Biggar, brother/sister-in-law David and Patt (d. 02/21/25) Holli, sister/brother in laws Marilyn and Samuli Savolainen, plus many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Melvin Holli in 2016.

The family extends a special thank you to the staff and professionals at the Westbridge Assisted Living Center and St Croix Hospice. They were all instrumental in providing love, compassion, and support to Betsy through the time she lived there.

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, April 5th at 10:00am at the Anderson Auditorium in the lower level at the Wyndemere Retirement Community at 200 Wyndemere Circle, Wheaton, IL 60187.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to: Dominican University, 7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, IL 6030.