Mass of Christian burial for Betty J. "Bettie" Geditz, 94, of Ipswich is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
A liturgical wake service will be 7 p.m. Tuesday with visitation starting at 6 p.m. at Holy Cross.
Bettie Jim Geditz was born on April 5, 1919, to William Bonaparte and Bettie Jim (Riddle) Steen at home in Manson, Iowa. In 1921, the family moved to a farm in Edmunds County, S.D., southwest of Ipswich, where she grew up and attended a rural school.
She was united in marriage to John E. Geditz on Sept. 1, 1936, in Cresco, Iowa. Returning to Ipswich, they farmed and raised livestock. They later moved into the town of Ipswich. To this union seven children were born. Along with raising her family, Bettie worked as a waitress in her uncle Taz Steen's restaurant. Bettie later worked at Lux Candle Company and as a cook at Holy Cross Catholic School and then at the Ipswich Public School.
Bettie enjoyed raising a large garden, canning, embroidering dish towels, visiting friends and especially spending time with family. She enjoyed traveling and saw many different states. One of her greatest joys though, was being surrounded by her family at Christmas, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Bettie was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich and a member of the church Altar Society.
In 1997, she underwent triple bypass surgery and was blessed with many more years of life. She moved to the Golden Living Center in February 2009, at the age of 89. Bettie suffered greatly from asthma and passed away at the Golden Living Center on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013.
She is survived by five of her seven children: James W. (Byrdella) Geditz of Selah, Wash., Nancy E. (Franklin) Hammrich of Ipswich, Bettie L. (Larry) Ellwein of Roscoe, Inez S. Hatle of Aberdeen and Wm. Joe (Mary) Geditz of Ipswich; 19 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; eight stepgreat-grandchildren; and six stepgreat-great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Pauline Remier of Linton, N.D.; cousins in Tennessee and Minnesota, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Bettie is proceeded in death by her parents; husband, John, in 1973; one son, Edward; one infant son, John E. Jr; one grandson, Dana Hammrich; two sons-in-law: Allen Kienow and Clayton Hatle; one daughter-in-law, Mary (Steen) Geditz. Also preceding her in death are four brothers: Newt, John, William (Willy) and Isaac (Ike) Steen; and three sisters: Nancy Smith, Sarah Sleeper and Inez Hammrich.
Funeral arrangements are with Gramm Funeral Home of Ipswich with an online guest registry at grammfuneralhome.com.