Betty Jane Larson

Betty Jane Larson, age 96, died peacefully at her home with family by her side on January 26, 2024.

Betty was born on May 6, 1927, in Deer Park, Wisconsin, the daughter of Alfred and Nellie (Webb) Boe. Betty grew up on a dairy farm, graduating from Amery High School in 1945. She then attended University of Wisconsin, River Falls receiving her bachelor’s and teaching degree in 1948. While in River Falls, she met Spencer Levi Larson, her “handsome sailor”. They married April 1, 1950, in Deer Park, Wisconsin. Both were teachers in Ellsworth, Wisconsin before welcoming twin daughters Laurie and Lynne in 1953.

Betty left teaching to raise her new family and Spencer went to work for Allis Chalmers. This adventure took them to Marshall, Minnesota where Julie, Joel, and Scott were born. They then lived in Huron, South Dakota and Little Falls, Minnesota until 1964 when they moved to Waseca, Minnesota as new owner-operators of the Waseca Dairy Queen. Betty served as co-owner and co-manager with unquestioned equal partnership in business with Spencer. As an important member of the Waseca community, she influenced, mentored, and counselled numerous employees and patrons. She and Spencer always had time for those who arrived after the business was closed who just needed to talk to a trusted friend. Betty cherished her 18 years running the Dairy Queen with a capacity for work that was unrivaled. She remained active in the community, volunteering for the Waseca County Fair Board, substitute teaching, and teaching in the prison reading program. She was active with Grace Lutheran Church and later Christ the King Lutheran Church.

Her extraordinary love was expressed through her gifts of hospitality, her written words, and showing up. Her home was welcoming and full of love, life, and laughter. She valued the written word with handwritten notes, cards, and Christmas poems, recognizing the important days in the lives of others. She understood the importance of showing up, whether it was dance recitals, graduations, weddings, sporting events, family gatherings, or simply a cup of coffee with her neighbors.

Betty was a ‘Flower Girl’, always surrounded by flowers and plants which she tended and nurtured. She also loved birds, gardening, fishing, and springtime, ‘the season of new life’! Betty greeted everyday as a joyful gift from God and lived it with optimism and gratitude. She leaves her family and friends a legacy of faith, honesty, courage, love, and joy.

The last lines of a recent poem she wrote is her goodbye to us:

“Miss me a little, be a bit sad, just remember the wonderful life that I’ve had". 

Betty was preceded in death by her beloved spouse, Spencer Larson, her cherished daughters, Laurie Massina and Julie Witte, her parents Alfred and Nellie Boe, her brother Danny, and her sister Daisy. She is survived by her daughter Lynne Gronert, her sons Joel Larson (Michelle) and Scott Larson, her brother Benny, her sister Fay, her 13 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at the Third Street Chapel of Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral & Cremation Service in Waseca. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 AM on Friday, February 2, 2024 at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Waseca, reception to follow. Burial will be at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.