Betsy Jochum, the last of the 60 players from the inaugural season of what became known as the All-American Girls Professional League, passed away at 104, leaving her family and loved ones devastated.
According to her obituary page, Ohio Baseball Hall of Famer Betsy Jochum passed away at 11:22 p.m. Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Southfield Village.
Born on February 8, 1921, in Cincinnati, Ohio, as the middle child of late parents, Frank and Katherine (Augustin) Jochum, German-speaking Hungarians who immigrated to America, settling down in Cincinnati in 1917.
Betsy Jochum was a proud sister of two siblings, including an elder brother, late Nicholas ‘Nick’, and a younger sister, Frances Jochum.
Furthermore, the late Betsy Jochum and her siblings, Nicholas and Frances, grew up in a working-class family that reflected their parents’ newly acquired American values.
She grew up playing sandlot ball and softball with her two siblings. Betsy and her elder brother, Nicholas, also worked together at a packing company, H.H. Meyer.
The demise of legendary South Bend Blue Sox outfielder and pitcher has left a profound void in the lives of her loved ones. Many of her fans are paying tribute to the late Betsy Sockum Jochum and sending their heartfelt condolences to her family during this challenging phase.
Betsy Jochum is survived by her younger sister, Frances Jochum of Cincinnati, Ohio, and her good friends, Phyllis Smallwood and Diane Gram.
Very little information is available about her sister, Frances Jochum, as she prefers to maintain a low profile.
Betsy Jochum Was Preceded In Death By Her Elder Brother, Nicholas Jochum
Betsy Jochum, a proud sister, lost her elder brother Nicholas almost a decade before her passing.
Nicholas Jochum, the eldest among the Jochum siblings, passed away on Thursday, September 29, 2016, just shy of his 98th birthday.
Furthermore, born on October 12, 1918, Nicholas Jochum was not just an amazing brother to late Betsy Jochum and her sister Frances, but also a devoted husband to his late wife, Elsie D. Jochum Hoff.
Nicholas and his longtime wife, Elsie, along with their family, lived in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He was a loving father to his only son, Thomas “Tom” Jochum, who preceded him in death, and an amazing grandfather to his two granddaughters, Megan and Brittany Jochum.
The late Nicholas lost his son, Betsy’s nephew Nicholas Tomas ‘Tom’ Jochum, on June 21, 2013, after a 2-year battle with cancer.
Likewise, Betsy’s nephew, Tom, was a real estate property manager and a proud alumnus of the University of Cincinnati. He also served in the Army and in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Betsy Jochum’s family organized a Catholic Funeral Service on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home, Bendix Drive, South Bend, Indiana.
- Private burial took place at Arlington Memorial Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Memorial contributions can be made to All-American Girls Professional Baseball League AAGPBL, George Chapman, 1320 Bluff Dr., Howell, MI 48843, or Pet Refuge, 4626 S. Burnett Dr., South Bend, Indiana 46614.
