Betty Gene (Ward) SCHAEFER NEUBERGER

NEUBERGER, CHURCH, WARD, SCHAEFER, EHRECKE, GILPIN, RAMIREZ, SILVA, MORFORD, KOCH, DE LA CRUZ, MEYER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/3/2016 at 18:30:10

July 24, 1926 ---- December 30, 2015

KLEMME — Betty G. Neuberger, age 89, of Klemme, IA, most recently residing at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond, in Belmond, IA, died Dec. 30, 2015, at the Rehabilitation Center in Belmond. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, at Klemme United Methodist Church. The Rev. Mike Shaffer will be officiating. Burial will be in the Amsterdam Cemetery east of Goodell, IA. Visitation will be on Tuesday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral services. Memorial suggestions in Betty's name include the Klemme United Methodist Choice, The Audubon Society, or the donor's choice.

Betty Gene Ward was born July 24, 1926, to Henry Nicholas Ward and Adna Marie Church Ward of Britt, IA, in the A.A. Johnson home in Kanawha, IA. In February 1927, the family moved to a farm south of Klemme owned by Henry and Mary Church, Betty's maternal grandparents.

Betty attended Avery No. 3 School, then Klemme Public Schools for high school, walking the three miles morning and afternoon. She attended business school in Mason City and also learned tailoring there.

On Dec. 25, 1943, she was married to Melvin Schaefer. They farmed in the Klemme area until 1953, when they moved into town and operated a corn shelling and trucking business. Betty drove straight truck and semi. In 1958, Betty went to work for Klemme Schools where she cooked for 28 years and drove afternoon school bus for 21 years. She also drove bus for summer swimming lessons at Garner.

Betty enjoyed sewing for people and sewed many weddings. She was also an avid observer of nature and was well known for her flower gardens and her quick help in identifying "strangers" at people's bird feeders.

Melvin died in 1976. On April 21, 1979, she married Merlin "Bud" Neuberger. Bud passed away in September 2000. Betty's survivors include one daughter: Celeste Ehrecke, Klemme, IA; two grandchildren: Francis Gilpin and Michelle Gilpin; five great-grandchildren: Tony Ramirez (wife Nicki) and Symone Silva (her partner Dallas Morford), Michael Koch, Maddison Gilpin, and Justin De la Cruz. Five great-great-grandchildren: Boston, and Meliah Morford, Braden, Myah, and Arya Ramirez. Also one sister: Sharon Meyer of Geneva, NE. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands Melvin and Bud. Andrews Funeral Home, Klemme, Iowa

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Mason City, IA
January 3, 2016