Elizabeth A. Charlton

Elizabeth Anna [Schmitz] Charlton, age 93, of Des Moines, Iowa, formerly of Waterloo, peacefully went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, November 25, at 11am at Hagerman Baptist Church in Waterloo, Iowa, where she was a faithful member for many years. Visitation will be held from 4-7pm on Monday, November 24, at Abels-Engelkes Funeral Home in Dike, Iowa, and at 10am on Tuesday, prior to the funeral service. Burial will take place at Elmwood Cemetery, Dike, Iowa at 2:30pm. Memorial gifts will be mission related, given in the name of Elizabeth Charlton.

Elizabeth Anna Schmitz was born on November 2, 1932, to Jacob and Veronica (Cordie) Schmitz. Affectionately known as “Betty,” she was raised on a farm near Dumont, Minnesota, alongside her six sisters and eight brothers. She was full of vibrant stories about life on the farm with her beloved parents and large family, memories she cherished and shared even in her final days.

Betty was united in marriage to the love of her life, Dean Lewis Charlton, on December 29, 1954, in Dumont, Minnesota. Together, they raised six children. Dean preceded her in death on April 21, 2012.

Betty worked outside the home as a telephone operator for a number of years before becoming a stay-at-home mom when the family moved to their acreage outside of Dike, in 1973.

Betty received Jesus as her Savior in 1966 and never looked back. Her faith was the foundation of her life, and she spread His love everywhere she went and with everyone she met. She was a true prayer warrior, and her parting words were always, “I commit you to the Lord every day.” Her every day motto was “It’s you and me, Lord.”

Betty was renowned for her loving, generous spirit, a woman who never met a stranger. Her love language was giving, and one could never leave her home without a full belly and a bag of treats, or a crisp $5 bill. Her greatest passions were her Lord and her family.

She had a passion for gardening - sharing her bountiful produce with friends and family - and baking, especially her famous caramel rolls, homemade noodles, buns and cakes. Her children cherished memories of heading to the school bus in the morning with fresh, warm cookies for breakfast or her famous buns, straight out of the oven, often accompanied by melted butter and mulberry jelly.

Betty loved the gift of food and fellowship, games, and puzzles. She was fiercely competitive—a quality she proudly passed down to her children. Among her simple joys were Ice Cream and a Snicker Concrete Mixer.

Perhaps her most incredible gift was her ability to make each and every one of her 15 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren feel like they were, without a doubt, her favorite.

Betty is survived by her six loving children: Randy (Rita) Charlton of Ankeny; Debra (Bruce) Hayes of Dike; Diana (Matthew) Murphy of Altoona; Lori (Roger) Temp of Robbinsdale, Minnesota; Steven Charlton of Cedar Falls; and Pamela (William) Arndorfer of Waterloo. She is also survived by her 15 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren; one brother, James Schmitz; sisters-in-law, Carole Schmitz and Delores Thompson; and brother-in-law, Earl Triplett.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dean Charlton; her parents, Jacob and Veronica Schmitz; stepmother, Betty Schmitz; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Hugh and Grace Charlton; and her siblings: brothers Victor, Don, Reinhard, Eugene, Jacob Jr., Vernon, and Dave; and sisters Valeria, Vivian, Katherine, Laura, Veronica, Louise, and five siblings that passed in infancy.