BETTENGA, Paul 1926-2005

BETTENGA, VENENGA

Posted By: Karen D-J (email)
Date: 6/29/2006 at 14:15:33

Paul F. Bettenga, 78, of rural Holland, Iowa, died Tuesday, June 7, 2005, at the Covenant Medical Center Emergency Room in Waterloo, Iowa, of natural causes. Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M., Friday, June 10, 2005, at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center, Iowa, with Pastor Kent Leydens officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center, with full military rites provided by the Grundy Center American Legion Post #349 and AMVETS Post #17 and the Wellsburg American Legion Post #213 and AMVETS Post #91. Visitation will be Thursday, June 9, 2005, from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center. A memorial fund has been established.

Paul was born November 5, 1926, in Holland, Iowa, the son of John and Helen (Venenga) Bettenga. Paul attended Grundy County rural schools and also attended Dike High School. On January 27, 1945, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps. He served his country during World War II and was honorably discharged on February 25, 1946. After returning home from the war, Paul began working at the John Deere Foundry in Waterloo. He worked there for two years. On March 21, 1950, Paul was united in marriage to LeAnn Venenga at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. After their marriage, he and LeAnn farmed in Grundy County for five years. After farming, Paul and LeAnn moved to Charles City for one year so that Paul could attend line-o-type school. Upon returning to Grundy County, Paul became a parts man at H&H Implement in Wellsburg and then also the Cedar Falls Implement. Paul then became employed for the Grundy County Republicans, and in 1962, he was elected as the Grundy County Treasurer. He served as the county treasurer until 1979. Paul also worked for Clarence Geerdes in Wellsburg at Iowa Radiant Heat for two years. He worked for Phelps Implement and the Waverly Implement for a short time before becoming a bus driver for Exceptional Persons. Paul then accepted the position as the Grundy County Roadside Commissioner, working for fourteen years in this position. Throughout the years, Paul also worked for farmers hauling corn and did seasonal work for MD Meyer Seeds and the Central Counties Co-Op in Holland. Paul loved his Morgan Horses and served as President of the Ackley and Pine Lake Saddle Clubs as well as the Iowa Morgan Horse Association all at the same time. Paul had been a former Christian Education Director, Sunday School Teacher, Youth Leader, an Elder and a Deacon at the Holland Christian Reformed Church. After joining Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center, Paul served as custodian as well as a trustee. For twenty five years Paul served as Township Clerk for Colfax Township and had also served as a past Landfill Board Member and Past Chairman of Republican Party for Grundy County. Paul had also been serving as the Post Commander of the Wellsburg American Legion Post #213 and the AMVETS Post #91, and recently become a member of the Legion's 40 & 8 Club.

He is survived by his wife LeAnn of rural Holland, Iowa; one son Jay Bettenga and his wife Alice of Joplin, Missouri; one daughter Lisa Curren and her husband Jeff of Grundy Center, Iowa; five grandchildren Paul Frederick Bettenga, Jennifer LeAnn Simmons, Daniel Glenn Bettenga, Jody Marie Curren, and Kyle Matthew Curren; and one great-grandson Jordan Zachary Markham.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter Beth Ann Bettenga; one son Craig Allen Bettenga; and one brother Arnold Bettenga.