Betty Ann Young

Betty Ann Young was born March 12, 1935, at the Waverly Hospital.  Her parents were Lorenz and Bertha (Foelske) Koelling of rural Denver.  Betty was baptized on April 7, 1935, and confirmed on March 21, 1948, at St. John Lutheran Church, Maxfield, rural Denver.  Betty attended the Jefferson No.3 country school in rural Denver through the eighth grade, then completed her high school education at Denver High School, graduating in 1953. 

Growing up Betty helped on the family farm.  Iowa farm life at that time was centered around dairy, hogs, chickens and field crops of corn, hay and oats.  On the farm Betty could drive the tractor, the pickup, or a team of horses.  During high school Betty also taught Sunday School at St. John, Maxfield and worked at the 63 Café, near the intersection of highways 3 and 63. 

After high school graduation Betty enrolled at Wartburg College in Waverly.  In 1955 she graduated with a 2-year teacher’s certificate.  

On February 20, 1955, Betty was united in marriage to Richard Young of rural Waverly.  They met at Wartburg College, and were married at St John Lutheran Church, Maxfield.  Betty was busy the next 14 years as a stay-at-home mom raising 4 children, Pat, Mike, Mark, and Kevin, just north of Denver.  Spending time with the extended family was important to Betty. The family enjoyed many holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with the Koelling, Young, Bast, and Foelske families in the area.  

In 1969 Betty went back to Wartburg College and graduated in 1971 with her BA in Elementary Education.  In the summer of 1971, the family moved to Allison, Iowa, as Betty started her teaching career.  She taught in the Allison-Bristow school district from 1971 to 1993 when she retired.  Betty taught at the elementary level during her time in Allison, mainly teaching at the 3^rd and 4^th grade level.  

In her spare time, Betty liked knitting, catching up with family and friends on the phone, keeping up with the latest on Days of Our Lives, gardening, tending flowers, family camping trips, and helping with the family’s Arabian horses.  

In 1977 Betty and Richard moved to an acreage east of Waverly. They enjoyed their horses and the country life until 2015 when they sold the acreage and moved to a condo in Waverly. 

In retirement Betty and Richard traveled south each winter for 20 years to the McAllen, Texas, area.  They enjoyed spending time with many friends, other John Deere retirees, and the warmer weather. 

Betty passed on November 23, 2023, under Hospice Care at the Denver Sunset Home, where she had resided since November 14.  She is survived by her husband Richard; her sons, Mike (Jo) Young and Kevin (Carol) Young, a son-in-law Woody (Cheryl) Sauerbrei, all of Waverly; six grandchildren, Pete (Leslie) Sauerbrei of Apex, NC, Ben Sauerbrei of Waverly, Randi Young of Cedar Falls, David Young of Scottsdale, AZ, Meredith (Conner) Tipping of Altoona, IA, and Grant (Hanna) Young of Ames, IA; six great-grandchildren, Andy, Brian, and Cole Sauerbrei, Emma and Ellie Young, and Benjamin Tipping; one brother, Harlen (Marilyn) Koelling of Waverly, one sister-in-law, Jeanette Koelling of Florida, one brother-in-law Darrel (Pat) Young of Shell Rock, one sister-in-law Linda Boomer of St. Louis, MO; and many nieces and nephews.   

Betty was proceeded in death by her daughter, Pat Sauerbrei; son, Mark Young; brother, Arlen Koelling; sister and brother-in-law, LaVonne (Wayne) Bast, a brother-in-law Larry Boomer; her parents Lorenz and Bertha Koelling; and her father and mother-in-law, Jesse and Ruth Young.