Obituary of Norma Jean Bettger

Obituary Norma “Jean” Bettger, 86, peacefully passed into the arms of Jesus on Monday, April 25 at 8:25 PM after a long struggle with diabetes, blindness, and succumbing to End Stage Renal Disease after enduring 761 three day a week four-hour long kidney dialysis over the last 5 years. Jean was born December 1st, 1935 to John and Rose (Stieben) Keller in Atwood, Colorado, where her family farmed and fed cattle and where she attended school graduating from Sterling High School where she loved singing in the choir. After school she worked at Stickneys, marrying Melvin Oscar Bettger on September 18th, 1955. She was a loving mother of four sons, Richard of Fort Collins, Steven of Sterling, Brent of Loveland and Bruce of Fort Collins. Her husband worked for Safeway for 46 years, managing stores in Wray, CO, Ft Morgan, CO, Rapid City SD, and several stores in Fort Collins, requiring Jean to pack up and move her school age family each time Melvin was promoted and working in the new city. After her fathers John Keller’s passing in 1996, Jean was vice president of Keller Farms Inc. and was instrumental in the launching of Bettger Farms LLC. She loved gardening her own fruits and vegetables and arranging flowers, doing crafts, knitting blankets, crocheting, sewing her own clothes, baking cookies, cinnamon rolls and cabbage pockets, decorating cakes that rival professional quality, cooking new dishes and watching TV cooking shows. She loved her pets “Feathers” the chicken, dogs Tie, Dino, Benji, Prince, Barney, Shady and (grand dog) Sasha and cats Boots and Kodiak. She had a special gift engaging with visiting children, who didn’t want to go home with their parents after spending time in her home. She taught Sunday school and vacation bible school classes in Wray, Fort Morgan, Rapid City, and Fort Collins and was a member od St John’s Lutheran Church since 1974. Jean I s survived by her 4 sons Richard, Steven, Brent and Bruce, daughter-in-law Marcia, grand children William, Jamie, and April, and great grand children Wyatt, Roan, Jack and Elizabeth. She is also survived by her sister Charlotte (Bill) Zweygardt of Sterling, sister-in-law Norma Penner of Sterling, brothers-in-law Larry better of sterling, Gil Bettger of Chula Vista, CA and Duane Bettger of Loveland, Nieces and nephews David, Troy, Jeff, Gary Carrie, Scott, Karen, Larry, Shelly, Missy, Rick, Michael, Lisa and Alexis. Jean was preceded in death by her husband Melvin Bettger, parents John and Rose Keller, brother Clyde Keller, in-laws Oscar and Leona Bettger, and brother-in-law Mel Penner. Special thanks to the doctors, nurses, techs and staff at Fresenius Kidney Care Fort Collins. Please direct memorial gifts to St. John's Lutheran Open Arms Christian Preschool. Services will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church 305 East Elizabeth St. Fort Collins, CO 80524, Saturday, April 30, 2022 at Noon. Interment at Resthaven Memory Gardens 8426 S HWY 287 Ft. Collins, CO 80525, Saturday, April 30, 2022 after the funeral at 1:30 pm Lunch will be served for family and friends at St. John’s Fellowship Hall following the burial. Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Norma Jean Bettger