Betty Kohlmeyer, age 95, of Huron and formerly of Wolsey, passed away Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at SunQuest Health Care Center. Her funeral service was held at 11 AM Friday, May 26th at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wolsey. Private burial was in the St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Betty Heitland was born April 6, 1922, to Frank and Lydia Heitland. She graduated from Wolsey High School and went to Nettelton Business School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On October 19, 1941, she married Richard Kohlmeyer, known as "Sugar Plum", at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wolsey. Richard called her "June Bug". They lived in Sioux Falls briefly, and then Omaha, Nebraska where Richard attended Frye Aircraft School, he then worked as a draftsman in Dayton, Ohio. While there, Richard joined the Navy and they made their home in Alameda, California where Richard Kohlmeyer Jr. was born on January 2, 1944, and crowned "King Kid" because he was the first baby born in the new year.
After Richard was discharged from the Navy, they made their home on the farm near Wolsey. Their second child, Dianne, was born on April 30, 1946. Betty worked at the County Extension Office and Northwest Finance Company in Huron. She was church secretary at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wolsey for several years. She taught Sunday school, was a 4-H leader for many years, was an active member of the Hershman-Gordon Ladies Auxiliary and the Wolsey Lions Club. She was a member of the Social Sister's Club for many years.
When Richard was past District Governor of the Lions Club, he and Betty traveled to Taiwan for Lions International Convention.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Richard Kohlmeyer Jr.; two sisters, Kathryn Mae Heitland and Maxine Ellingson; one brother, Frank Heitland Jr.; and one granddaughter, Christi Anne Hemminger.
Feeling blessed for having shared her life are one daughter and son-in-law, Dianne and Dale Hemminger of Belle Fourche, South Dakota; five grandchildren: Curt Hemminger of Spearfish, South Dakota, Cara (Adam) Reilly of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Chad (Rebecca) Hemminger of LaGrange Park, Illinois, and Colleen Kohlmeyer Brooks of Minneapolis, Minnesota; seven great grandchildren, Quinn, Ian, Krysti Reilly, Holly and Sofie Hemminger, Josiah Kohlmeyer and Berkely Brooks; and daughter-in-law, Macel Self of Sioux Falls.