Betty Bond

Betty L. Bond, of West Union and formerly of Maynard and Oelwein, Iowa answered her Savior’s call to come Home on November 5, 2016, at the age of 92 years, 6 months and 5 days at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette, Iowa.

Funeral Service: 11:00 A.M. Friday, November 11, 2016 at the First Presbyterian Church in Maynard with Rev. John Kerr officiating.

Visitation: 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. Thursday at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Oelwein and after 10:00 A.M. Friday at the church.

Interment: Madison Cemetery, rural Aurora, Iowa.

Memorials may be given in Betty’s name to the Maynard Presbyterian Church, Fayette County Community Foundation, or the Oelwein Coliseum Restoration Fund.

Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com.

Betty Larene Kuper was born on the family farm near Stanley, Iowa, on May 1, 1924, to her loving parents Henry R.  and H. Grace (Brown) Kuper. 

She graduated from Maynard High School in 1943.  

America was at war and she did her part by going to work at Chamberlain Munitions Plant in Waterloo where she was an inspector, eliminating defective shells.

Her passion was dancing and she danced with her girlfriends at the Coliseum in Oelwein until the boys came home. It was at the Coliseum that she met a handsome young soldier named Robert, and they married soon after the war, as Americans quickly tried to resume lives of normalcy.  Perhaps yet another victim of Hitler’s war, their marriage ended in 1972.

Betty and Bob were good parents, welcoming three children into their home in Wadena.  They modeled for their children the values of honesty, hard work, and love of country.  Betty was a stay at home mom who kept busy raising a garden, sewing for her children—she even made a beautiful wedding gown for her daughter.   Betty was very resourceful and always managed well.  

She earned her CNA license and cared for the elderly at the Elkader Care Center.  Then she went to work at Atwood Manufacturing in West Union, retiring from there in 1991.

Betty was always an active lady.  

Her faith was important and she served her church in Wadena as a dedicated Sunday and Bible School teacher.  When she lived in Maynard, she was church treasurer at Maynard Presbyterian for many years. She retired to Oelwein, where she enjoyed bowling, playing cards, and was impossible to beat in Scrabble.  She made each grandchild’s birthday very special by decorating a themed cake for them—each a work of art.   Betty danced once or twice a week, still going to the Hootenanny in Hazleton at age 88.  

When she moved to Traditions Assisted Living in West Union, she enjoyed Wii bowling, and crocheting, making afghans for each of her family members and others.  Her final project was finished in October – a beautiful baby afghan which will welcome an expected great grandchild due in December.  Betty loved her children and grandchildren.  

Left to celebrate her memory are her daughter: Vicki (Everett) Rowland of Clermont; sons: Larry of Fayette and Brian (Rhonda) Bond of Ankeny; eight grandchildren: Angelisa Rowland (Mike) Belden, Chicago, and Brandon Rowland (Kara Elliot), Denver, CO, Joshua (Amy), Mathew (Jordan) and Andrew (Shelby) Bond of Fayette, Aamon, Collin, and Derek Bond of Ankeny.  She was blessed to enjoy the antics of her two great grandchildren:  Nolan Belden and Britleigh Bond.  

Betty was preceded in death by her parents: Henry and Grace; brother: Merlin (Phyllis) Kuper; sister: Bonnie (Francis “Bud”) Binning; and an infant sister: Velma Lucille.  We rejoice that she is dancing with them now in Heaven.