Betty Mae Hammer

Betty Mae Hammer met her Lord on March 27, 2020, at the age of 94. She was a resident of Melody Living Memory Care Unit in Colorado Springs, CO, and died of natural causes.  She was born on August 24, 1925, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Leo and Elva Jarvis.  She was the oldest of 6 children.

The Jarvis family lived in Moorhead and later moved to Glyndon, Minnesota, where they raised their family and farmed.  While attending Glyndon High School, Betty met the love of her life, Eugene Hammer.  He walked into her English class and winked at her.  That wink led to 46 years of marriage and 4 daughters.  It was a wonderful life.  Business college for Betty while Eugene served as a paratrooper in the Army. Betty and Eugene moved to a farmstead North of Hawley, Minnesota, where they raised their 4 daughters, grew a variety of crops, and ran a dairy farm.  Both Betty and Eugene worked a variety of jobs to successfully retire and enjoy their vacation home on Strawberry Lake.  They enjoyed fishing, entertaining, and hosting family and friends.

Thankfully, Betty shared her famous rhubarb pie recipe with her daughters.  She once baked 13 pies in 14 days to keep her son-in-law’s satisfied.  After Eugene’s passing, Betty sold her house on the farm and moved to Fargo, ND, where she enjoyed volunteering in the gift shop at Dakota Hospital.  She continued her membership at Rural Lysne Lutheran Church, Hawley, MN, where she was president of the Ladies Aid for a number of years.  Betty was proud of skydiving with her grandson, Greg Habermann, serving at that time as a Golden Knight with the Army.  Eugene was unable to make a 50^th jump due to a previous injury so Betty made the 50^th Honor Jump for him, yelling, “how am I doing Dad” on her way back to earth.

Betty reunited with a former high school classmate, Ralph Fischer, at a class reunion.  Betty moved to Albuquerque, NM, where she lived for 15 years.  She and Ralph were married 13 years until Ralph’s death.

Betty’s last 4 years were spent in Colorado where her health declined from dementia.  She was fiercely loved and well cared for by her family until her last breath.

Her surviving family includes her daughters, Barbara (Edwin) Habermann, Pueblo West, CO, Carol (Everett) Hall, Great Falls, MT, Brenda (Richard) Casperson, Bayport, MN; nine grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; and four great-great-granddaughters. Preceding her in death includes her husband, Eugene; daughter, Patricia Eckhoff; parents, Leo and Elva Jarvis; and her siblings, Shirley Dauner, Margaret Newman, Marilyn Moe, Robert Jarvis, and Roger Jarvis.

A private family funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at Lysne Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hawley, MN.

A life well lived with many memories for her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Betty’s daughter, Barbara Habermann at 771 West Calle De Caballos, Pueblo West, CO 81007.