Betty Jean (Hackwell) Wahlert, 94, of Anita, went to her heavenly home on October 26, 2021.
Betty was born on July 22, 1927, to Goldie (Wahlert) and John Hackwell in Audubon county on the Hackwell farm. She grew up with her parents and siblings in rural Audubon and Guthrie counties.
Betty attended rural country schools until her high school years. She then graduated at the age of 17 from Guthrie Center High School with the class of 1944, where she excelled in basketball and other athletic and academic activities. Betty married Alvin Wahlert on April 6, 1947, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They resided in the town of Anita until they moved to their current farm home in rural Anita in 1977. After Al’s passing (10-10-10), Betty continued caring for the farmstead that she and Al had built together until her passing.
Betty began a teaching career immediately after high school graduation and completion of a training program in a rural one-room schoolhouse. She continued to teach rural students for the next 9 years. After the birth of her 3rd child, she gave up teaching to be at home and raise their six children. Over the years Betty worked at local grocery and convenience stores and as a cook for the Anita Community Schools until she retired in 1996.
Betty was a member of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Anita. She was an active member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and served as a Sunday school teacher and financial secretary for the church. She also served as the local branch president and secretary of Aid Association for Lutherans (Thrivent) for 40 years during which she oversaw many projects that were implemented for community betterment in Anita.
Betty has always been a gardener. She enjoyed growing flowers and vegetables and maintaining her yard and garden. She truly loved her animals and pets, in addition to helping Al with his cattle, she spent many years raising Sheltie puppies and Corriedale sheep. She was an avid crafter and enjoyed creating items for friends and family and she developed a small business, Betty’s Heartland Crafts, participating in many area craft shows. In their later years, Betty and Al found much entertainment in watching, identifying, and feeding birds. Fishing, camping, and boating were also activities they had often enjoyed together. Her greatest joy, however, came from visiting with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Survivors include; six children, Jerry Wahlert of Bellevue, NE, Steve Wahlert, Kathy (Kirk Kelloway) Blazek, Dennis (Tammy Edwards) Wahlert, and Dave (Tina) Wahlert all of Anita, and Becky (Mark) Meyer of Powhattan, KS.; 15 grandchildren, Erika (John) Schulz of Bellevue, NE., Katie (Joe Smith) Wahlert-Smith of Washington, D.C., Marty (Anna) Wahlert of Herrenberg, Germany, Arin (Kyla) Blazek of Nashville, TN., Amber (Jason) Taliaferro of Topeka, KS., Craig (Amanda) Wahlert of Anita, Ryan (Sara) Wahlert of Anita, Jen (Jon) Anderson of Hudson, Nick (Emily Drusch) Wahlert, of Boone, Zack (Gabby) Wahlert of Anita and Brookelyn (Max Schlawin) Wahlert of Marshallton, Collin Kelloway of Anita, Emily Meyer of Manhattan, KS, and Sadie and Joey Meyer of Powhattan, KS.; 26 great-grandchildren, Jonathan, Rockelle, Logan and Elliana Walker, Jack and Jeff Schulz, Cooper, Macey, Reece and Quincy Blazek, Daphna and Ailey Wahlert, Paisley, Kamden and Finley Wahlert, Madison Resendez and Joselyn Anderson, Mira, Ava and Molly Taliaferro, Milena, Elisa and Samuel Wahlert, Addy and Brayden Wahlert, and Henry Smith; sisters, Evelyn (Larry) Jacobsen of Menlo; Sharon (Roy) Alliss of Dexter; brother, Dale (Carol) Hackwell of Jesup, brothers and sisters-in-law, Lynn (Carol) Dorsey of Anita, Velda Burhman of Omaha; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Preceding Betty in death were her husband Alvin, her mother and father, John and Goldie Hackwell, sisters, Mary Louise (infant) and Nadene Mortensen, brother-in-law Raymond Mortensen, sister-in-law Doris Dorsey, brother-in-law Bryon Burhman, and nephew Brad Burhman.
Memorials may be made to the Betty Wahlert Memorial to be used for future community betterment projects and may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 523, Atlantic, IA 50022
Funeral services will be on Saturday, October 30 at 10:30, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Anita with a reception to follow at the Anita Community Center.
Visitation with the family will be Friday, October 29 from 4:00-7:00 at Schmidt Funeral Home in Anita.
Betty will be interned with her husband Alvin at the Anita Evergreen Cemetery.
The staff at Schmidt Family Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for the Wahlert Family. Condolences may be left at www.schmidtfamilyfuneralhomes.com
