Betty J. Kruse, 89, Spencer

A funeral service for Betty J. Kruse was held Friday, March 1, 2024, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Royal. Pastor Mark Wilms officiated.

Casket bearers were Eric Golay, Casey Tolzin, Chris Woodall, Mitch Fahnlander, Jordan Jalas and Aaron Berberich. Interment was in Willow Creek Cemetery at Royal. Warner Funeral Home in Spencer assisted with the arrangements.

Betty Jean Kruse, daughter of Chris and Bertha Jorgensen Petersen, was born May 22, 1934 in Underwood. She began working at a restaurant in junior high and later in a local grocery store, as no sports were offered for girls. She graduated from Underwood High School in 1952 and attended Dana College, pursuing a degree in Business.

It was there that she met her future husband, Roger Kruse, and they were married on Nov. 29, 1953 at the Underwood Lutheran Church when Roger was home on furlough from serving in the U.S. Army. Betty moved to Omaha, Neb. and worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a keypunch operator until Roger’s honorable discharge in 1955, when they moved to the family farm west of Royal. The farm has been designated as a Century Farm and their granddaughter, Alecia Tolzin, currently lives there with her family.

Betty remained on the farm after Roger’s death in 2019 and moved to Riverview Terrace in Spencer in 2021, where she made many new friends and enjoyed old acquaintances.

After their marriage Betty’s main priority was caring for their three children, Keith, Joyce and Brenda, and raising them to make faith “uppermost in their lives.” She also helped on the farm by driving the corn picker and caring for the chickens. She was a meticulous bookkeeper for the operation and raised a garden and canned all of the produce.

Betty was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Royal, where she still attended worship and Bible study weekly. She taught Sunday school and confirmation classes, served on the council, was active in BLCW and the quilting group, rolled bandages for Lutheran World Relief and sang in the church choir. In 1987 she was elected to the board of the Western Iowa Synodical Women’s Organization where she served as vice president for four years and president for two years. She retired from the board in 2006 after serving for 19 years. She was a member of the Royal Birthday Club, the Royal Federated Women’s Club, American Legion Auxiliary and Gideons International. Betty was also the secretary of the Royal Centennial Committee in 2000.

Through the years she and Roger loved to attend and support their grandkids in their sports and music activities. Betty loved her God and family above all else and was so happy to be able to see her five great-grandkids often. She was also an avid fan of the Iowa State Cyclones and Minnesota Twins.

Betty passed away at Riverview Terrace on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at the age of 89. Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Roger; daughter, Joyce Sabel; grandson, Javan Kruse; sister, Ardis Taylor; and brother, Richard Petersen.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Keith and Joyce Kruse, of Everly; daughter, Brenda and Steve Golay, of Perry; son-in-law, Tom Sabel, of Des Moines; granddaughter, Alecia and Casey Tolzin, Luke and Anna, of Peterson; grandson, Eric Golay, of Tucson, Ariz.; granddaughter-in-law, Danielle Kruse, Ali, Nate and Ryan, of Hartley; brother, Calvin and Karen Petersen, of Council Bluffs.; brother-in-law, Jim Taylor, of Spencer; other relatives and many friends.