HURON — Betty A. Maxwell, 77, of Huron, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at Avera Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.
Her Funeral Service will be held 10 a.m. Monday, June 5, at Welter Funeral Home with burial to follow at Crow Lake-Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Wessington Springs. Visitation with the family present will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 4, at Welter Funeral Home. A Prayer Service will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday evening.
Betty was born on Oct. 11, 1945, to Charles Allen and Sylvia (Kolousek) Maxwell in Wessington Springs at the Ester de Youngs Hospital. She grew up in Wessington Springs and graduated in 1964. Betty met Wayne Walker when she was in the 9th grade. They later married on Nov. 15, 1964. To this union, twin daughters: Karen and Kathleen were born. Betty worked at St. John’s Hospital in Huron for several years as a nurses’ aide. Wayne and Betty later divorced in 1974. Betty lived in Huron and worked at the Hickory House.
In 1980, Betty moved to Washington state and worked as a restorative aide in the physical therapy department of a nursing home in Auburn, Wash. While living in Washington, Betty went to school at Bates Tech College and became an LPN, she then worked home health care.
Betty moved to Oxnard, Calif., with her brother, Jake and eventually moved back to South Dakota. She worked as a foster grandma at M & M Daycare for several years. She was known as Grandma Betty and enjoyed rocking the babies to sleep. She also enjoyed spending time with her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She liked to play cards, go to coffee with friends and embroidery.
Grateful for having shared in her life are her twin daughters, Karen (Dean) Hougland of Mitchell and Kathleen (Foster) Knudson of Huron; her five grandchildren, Jason (Emily) Von Eye of Mitchell, Ashley (Dan) Florey of Cavour, Jordan Von Eye of Woonsocket, Sylvia Ascher of Webster and Kevin (Michelle) Herrlein of Kulm, N.D.; and three step grand-children, Jesse Hougland and fiance Molly Buum of Brookings, Madison (Jeremy) Stokes of Moore, Minn., and Michaela (Lane) Cantrell of Aberdeen; 12 great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren and three “adopted” great-grandchildren. Also grateful for sharing her life are her siblings, Bernie (Cherie) Maxwell of Wessington Springs, Ronnie Maxwell of Pierre, Marilyn Maxwell of Washington, Wayne (Lynda) Salathe of Hampton, Va., Jake (Jane) Salathe of Huron and Cindy Jarvis of Spearfish; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Allen Maxwell, Sylvia and Kenneth Salathe; and sister-in-law, Judy Maxwell.
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