Grace Bettenga

Grace Bettenga, 96, of Wellsburg , Iowa , died Monday, September 1, 2008, at the Grundy Care Center in Grundy Center , Iowa . Funeral services will be 1:30 P.M., Friday, September 5, 2008, at Wellsburg Reformed Church, Wellsburg , Iowa , with Pastor Todd Rempe officiating. Burial will follow at the Shiloh Cemetery, Wellsburg. Visitation will be Thursday, September 4, 2008 from

6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., with the family present to greet friends, at Doyen-Abels Funeral Home in Wellsburg. Memorials may be directed to the family. Doyen-Abels Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Grace was born March 14, 1912, in Clay Township , rural Hardin County , Iowa , the daughter of Harm C. and Antje (Nederhoff) Bunger. Grace attended Clay #5, rural country school, northeast of Steamboat Rock, in Hardin County .

On May 21, 1943, Grace was united in marriage to William W. Bettenga in Alamogordo , New Mexico . When William’s military service was completed after World War II, the couple moved to Wellsburg to make their home. Grace cooked for the Wellsburg Community School district for many years, and served as the head cook for eight years. Grace also worked as a seamstress for many years as well. In 1973, Grace’s husband William died, but she continued to make Wellsburg her home.

She was a member of Wellsburg Reformed Church, and had been very active in the Wellsburg AMVETS Auxiliary. Grace loved to sew and she loved music.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol Abbas of Lakeland Shores , Minnesota ; one grandson, Troy Abbas of Cottage Grove, Minnesota; one sister, Reika Kramer of Cedar Falls , Iowa ; former son-in-law, Ken Abbas of Houma , Louisiana ; two sisters-in-law, Esther Getting of Grundy Center , Iowa ; Cora Albright of Hampton , Iowa ; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband William; and three brothers, Coert, Tielko, and Oldig Bunger.