Betty Mackereth of Kimball died peacefully Tuesday morning, Nov. 15, 2022, at St. Cloud Hospital. She was 92.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball with Rev. David Milz officiating. Burial will be held at a later date at the Kimball Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9:30-11 a.m. Friday at the church.
Betty Marie Wenholz was born June 8, 1930, at home in Brook Park, Minn., to LaRoy and Irene (Dobberstein) Wenholz. She attended a one-room country school, then graduated with the Class of 1948 from Hinckley High School. After school, she worked in Minneapolis, at Sears and Roebuck, and Dunn and Bradstreet. On March 25, 1950, Betty was united in marriage to Dean Ellis Mackereth at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kroschel, Minn. Together, they raised their family and farmed on the Mackereth family farm in rural Kimball. Betty was a member of the Kimball American Legion Post 261 Auxiliary, and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, playing Scrabble, bowling, golfing, and spending winters in Arizona. She cherished her faith and her family above all else.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dean Mackereth, granddaughter Tonya VanNurden, son-in-law Craig VanNurden, and sister Marilyn Huddleston.
She is survived by her five children Charles (and Colleen) Mackereth of Kimball, Sandra (and Richard) Miller of Annandale, James (and Lynn) Mackereth of Santa Maria, Calif., Gayle VanNurden of Kimball, and Julie (and Roger) VanVleet of Backus; 16 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren; brother Orville (and Elaine) Wenholz of Green Valley, Ariz.; sisters Audene Anderson of Moose Lake, and Shirley Beyer of Blaine; brother-in-law John Huddleston; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Casket bearers will be Justin Miller, Travis VanNurden, Mitchell VanVleet, Ryan Mackereth, and Alyssa Mertens. Lori Rippentrop will provide music for the service. Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial and Cremation Services of Kimball.