Betty Faye Auten, born on February 15, 1948, in St. Joseph, MO, to Harry and Irene (Galloway) Ritzinger, passed away on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at CHI Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA, at the age of 77 years, 9 months, and 1 day.
Betty grew up in St. Joseph and worked as a waitress at Olympia Lanes Bowling Alley. On August 7, 1965, she married Charles Auten, and in 1968, they moved to Iowa. They lived north of Grant for 21 years before moving to Lewis in 1989. Betty worked at several different jobs over the years, including cleaning at the Atlantic Meat Locker, Reflections in Fabric, and for Terry and Nona Erickson with Erickson Backhoe.
Betty loved spending time with her grandchildren and enjoyed gardening, embroidery, sewing, and giving back to her community. She was a wonderful baker, known for baking many delicious cakes for graduations, birthdays, and anniversaries.
Betty is preceded in death by her husband Charles; daughter Pamela; grandson Corbin; her parents; three brothers; and four sisters.
She is survived by her sons Charles Auten and wife Kristy of Greenfield, IA, and Tom Auten of Lewis, IA; grandchildren: Cheyenne, Thomas, and Zoey; great grandchildren: Kenley, Kaycee, Korbin, and Kelcee; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great-nieces and nephews.
A funeral service for Betty will be held on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 10:30 AM, at the Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold. Visitation with the family will be on Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, at the Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold. Interment will be in the Oakwood Cemetery in Lewis, IA. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family with arrangements.
