Betty Fossey

May 16, 1929 - April 5, 2024

Visitation

Date: April 11, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Schroeder Funeral Homes - St. Ansgar, Iowa

Funeral Service

Date: April 12, 2024
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: First Lutheran Church - St. Ansgar, Iowa

Burial

Location: First Lutheran Cemetery - St. Ansgar, Iowa

St. Ansgar, Iowa – Betty J. Fossey, age 94, of St. Ansgar, passed away peacefully and went home to the Lord Jesus on April 5, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society in St. Ansgar. Betty’s Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday April 12 at the First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, with the Rev. Christopher Staley officiating. Burial will be in the First Lutheran Cemetery in St. Ansgar. Luncheon will then follow at the First Lutheran Church Parish Center. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 at the Schroeder Funeral Home in St. Ansgar, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Betty Jane (Cummings) Fossey was born on May 16, 1929, in Charles City, IA, the daughter of Edward H. and Else I. (LaMaster) Cummings. She attended the old Central High School (now Austin High School) from first through twelfth grade, graduating in 1947. Betty soon went to work for the Hormel Company in Austin, MN working in the profit and loss department. Betty had a strong work ethic and a real aptitude for finance. On September 23, 1950, she married Darwin Lowell Fossey at the First United Methodist Church in Austin. To this union two daughters were born, Sherry Lynn in 1953 and Julaine Kay in 1956. After marriage, they continued to live in Austin for a little over two years, with Darwin commuting back and forth to the newly started Fossey Garage in Toeterville, IA. Darwin and Betty purchased a residential lot in St. Ansgar in late 1952 and soon thereafter built a new home, where they lived together for a lifetime. Upon moving to St. Ansgar, Betty stepped back from her career at Hormel to focus on raising their family and tending to their household, but she continued to utilize her sharp wit and financial acumen, meticulously managing the bookwork for the Fossey Garage. Darwin and Betty enjoyed various activities with their family and friends, including a great deal of camping and fishing over many years. One of their favorite places for recreation and refreshment was “The Normandy Resort” on the west side of Bertha Lake on the Whitefish Chain in Jenkins, MN. Prior to Normandy, they had stayed at Ben Knebel’s resort property just across Bertha Lake on the east shore. They often shared great stories about their friendship with Ben and Knebel’s famous 1949 Chris Craft U.S. Mail delivery boat! This was epic and memorable family fun with daughters Sherry and Julaine and other family members at these great historic resorts. Betty and Darwin also loved dancing together to the great music of the 1940s and 1950s, and enjoyed some of the “big and small bands” of the era, at both the Terp Ballroom in Austin, MN and the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA. They appreciated going to restaurants with family and friends, with their favorites being The Wagon Wheel south of Austin and Lansing Corners north of Austin at Lansing, MN. Betty had a passion for playing games of all kinds and was a card whiz! She especially enjoyed playing cribbage, five hundred and bridge. Her love for game playing and healthy competition continued with her family, and she would regularly challenge her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to a card contest. Betty genuinely loved people, had a gift for hospitality and was a willing and cheerful servant. Darwin and Betty were active members of First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, and she was a dynamic member of her ladies’ circle at the church. Over the years, Betty helped organize and serve countless meals at both First Lutheran and St. Peter Lutheran in Toeterville, including the annual Toeterville fish fry! Betty was an avid and accomplished knitter, quilter and seamstress and was gifted at hand-embroidery. She used her creative talents to not only bless her family and friends but in acts of service, hand-crafting numerous quilts and paper sack towels for auction and crocheting hundreds of children’s sweaters for donation to overseas’ church missions. Throughout her years of living in St. Ansgar, Betty was always active and on-the-go, busy engaging with her family, friends, and her community. On her almost daily bike rides, she would warmly greet people as she made her way to the grocery store, the library, the school, or the church. Her door was always open, and she never hesitated to welcome visitors for a cup of coffee, a home-baked treat, a card game, or conversation. Betty liked to have fun! And she was also industrious! If there was a skill or talent she wanted to learn, she actively sought to not just learn the ability but to excel! She was a self-taught cook and baker and was famous for making daily fresh baked bread. In addition, she became an expert at gardening, canning, making home ground horseradish and her famous home-made lefse and other Scandinavian delicacies that many from far and near were blessed to enjoy during the holidays. Betty continued in her passion to nourish and bless by serving as a school lunch lady in the St. Ansgar school system for many years, lovingly greeting students and staff and taking great care to make delicious and nutritious food! In her later years, Betty continued to be active and social and encouraged others to do the same. She proceeded with regular weekly card matches and enjoyed playing bingo, golf and bird watching. Her favorite bird was the Northern Cardinal, and she could be heard sweetly whistling to attract the pretty red birds to her feeder! Betty loved her family and enthusiastically participated in family holidays and birthdays, including events for her great grandchildren, often driving from Iowa to the Twin Cities with Connie Dammen over the years. In addition to being close to her own family, Betty built relationships and developed close bonds to other families in her community with many fondly referring to her as “Grandma Betty.” In March of 2021, Betty received a “Continuous Member Certificate” as a member in good standing of the American Legion Auxiliary St. Ansgar unit, citing loyalty and outstanding contributions to the accomplishment of the programs of the organization for over 45+ years. Betty loved well and was well loved! She was an encourager and a connector, who had a positive outlook on life and a fighting spirit to keep going even when life got tough. Betty persevered through many challenges in her almost 95 years, pressing into her faith and pushing herself to “just keep going” while lovingly pushing others to do the same. She was smiling to the end! Betty’s impact and her legacy will continue well beyond her time on this earth! Well done good and faithful servant! Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husband Darwin; daughters Julaine K. Dammen and Sherry L. Loften; infant grandson Bruce M. Loften; great grandson Liam B. Loften; sister Lois J. Yocom, and brother- in-law Glenn D. Yocom, Jr. She will be dearly missed and forever remembered by her brothers and sisters-in-law Edward (Deanna) Cummings of Estero, FL and Richard (Dellene) Cummings of Austin, MN; son-in-law Dennis M. Dammen of Prior Lake, MN; granddaughter Krista L. (Todd) Anderson of Eden Prairie, MN; grandson Aaron M. (Carla) Dammen of Bloomington, MN; granddaughter Karla K. Loften of Corpus Christi, TX; grandson Brian J. Loften of Mankato, MN; ten great grandchildren: Olivia, Amelia, and Victoria Anderson; Henna and Jonas Dammen, Taylor Schindele, Dominik Compton, Rafe Loften and Brigid and Katrin Loften, many beloved nieces and nephews and their families, and countless friends. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that memorial donations be directed to First Lutheran Church, St. Ansgar or to the Good Samaritan Society, St. Ansgar as designated. Schroeder Funeral Homes in St. Ansgar is overseeing the arrangements.