Funeral services for 92-year old Geraldine “Betty” Waltman of Chadron, NE, are Thurs, Dec 30, 2021 at 10:00 at Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron, NE.
Burial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Chadron.
A memorial has been established for the Ronald McDonald House program and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Geraldine Elizabeth (Betty) (Haskell Waltman was born July 14, 1929, at the home ranch in Cherry County, NE. On December 26, 2021, in Rapid City, SD, the Good Lord called our sweet Mother home to join Daddy.
Betty was the youngest of six children born to Charles and Florence (Westover) Haskell. Growing up on the ranch in Brown County as a teenager, she stacked hay with a team of horses.
When she was in high school, she stayed with her sister-in-law in Chadron, where she met the love of her life, Frank Elmer (Bus) Waltman. To that union four children were born: Kay Merrill, Riley (Dee) Waltman, Christie (Andy) Dickinson, and Delinda Royse.
As newlyweds, they worked on ranches where Betty cooked for the ranch crews. When Bus went to work for the Forest Service, Betty taught at the rural Strand School, driving 40 miles each way on a country road.
In 1965, Bus and Betty moved the family to Chadron where Betty went back to school and received her Bachelor of Library Science Degree and became the Head Librarian at the Chadron Public Library.
Betty was devoted to and loved Bus and her family unconditionally. Her favorite memories were of going to country dances, playing cards with neighbors in the Sandhills, and going to rodeos with her children.
Betty is lovingly remembered and survived by children Kay, Riley, Christie, and Delinda. Grandchildren: Melanie (Boone) Herring, Sid Merrill, Razen (Kali) Merrill, Jace (Monica) Waltman, Jackie (Josh) Krejci, Jody (Kelly) Elverum, Trisha (Josh) Clevenger; 17 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Bus, her parents, her in-laws, her five siblings, and their spouses, her son-in-law Larry Merrill, and granddaughters Tiffany Royse, Teran Dickinson, and Maggie Krejci.
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements for Betty Waltman.
Betty was one of the sweetest ladies I knew. She always made me feel like family and we shared a lot of smiles.
My condolences to her family
Sincerely,
Kelli Powers Word