Bruening, Betty L. (Vine) Christopherson 1934 - 2012

BRUENING, VINE, MOEN, CHRISTOPHERSON, OLSON, LEONHART, DOTY, TYLER, SMITH, LUTHER, BOLSON, SEVERSON

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 2/26/2013 at 13:39:10

Betty L. Bruening, age 77, of Decorah, Iowa, died Sunday, April 8, 2012 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Pastor Dave Sorenson officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah.

Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 P.M. Tuesday, April 10 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Wednesday after 10:00 A.M. at the church, one hour before services.

Betty Lou (Vine) (Christopherson) Bruening was born June 8, 1934 at home in Decorah, Iowa, to Alert and Gladys (Moen) Vine. She attended country school and graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1954.

She was united in marriage to Raymond D. Christopherson on April 2, 1955 at Decorah Lutheran Church. To this union three children were born, Cindy, Bonnie and Dennis.

She was then united in marriage to Melvin L. Bruening on September 7, 1967 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA.

Betty worked at Graham Department Store, then as a bookkeeper at Anundsen Bookstore. Betty and Melvin moved to Durant, OK in 1980. In 1986, she began working at Wal-Mart in Durant. They moved back to Decorah in 1995. She continued to work at Wal-Mart in Decorah and her 22 year career there continued until her retirement.

Betty loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and her dog, Ginger. She collected frogs, loved garage sales, and visiting farmer’s market with her sister Donna. Betty loved fishing with her grandchildren. Little children were her life; she really enjoyed spending time with them. She was the helper and caregiver in her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alert and Gladys Vine; her first husband Raymond on December 15, 1963; her second husband Melvin on November 24, 2007; her father-in-law, Edward (Pappy) Bruening; two brothers, Ardell and Bud Vine; and one sister, Phyllis Olson.

Betty is survived by her three children: Cindy (Fred) Leonhart of Decorah, Bonnie (Joseph) Doty of Orlando, FL, and Dennis (Karen) Christopherson of Fairfax, IA; seven grandchildren: Jamie Doty, Jason (Denise) Leonhart, Kristin (Ryan) Tyler, Jennifer Doty, Dr. Melissa Christopherson (Sean Smith), John Christopherson and Cpl Garrett Doty; six great-grandchildren: Mikya Doty, Keenan and Kasen Tyler, Aidan Smith, Bode Leonhart and Mikinsey Luther; two sisters: Grace (Kenneth) Bolson of Decorah and Donna Severson of Calmar, IA; and by several special nieces and nephews.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home

Decorah Lutheran Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen