Betty Jane (Stevenson) Rausch

Betty Jane (Stevenson) Rausch, 83, of Windsor, Colo. passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family, on Nov. 3, 2021.

Her Rosary was on November 18, 2021, Mass of Christian Burial was on November 19, 2021 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Windsor, Colo.

Betty was born to Elmer and Amanda (Giese) Stevenson six weeks premature on August 24, 1938. Betty grew up in Ipswich, along with her older sisters Irene and Lila and younger brother, LeRoy (Buzz). She enjoyed her school years in Ipswich, graduating in 1956. She was in choir, school plays, and year book with several of her friends. She loved the school dances but with only 10 boys in a class of 39 they had to ask the out-of-town boys.

Her summers were spent at the city pool, movie house with friends, enjoying the annual Trail Days festivities in June or spending time in Minnestoa visiting relatives. Winter months brought lots of snow, sometimes up to the middle of tall trees that they could climb up to and sit in the branches. She always loved the holidays especially the Christmas programs at school with Santa. When she was 13, and home alone with her mom one day, her mom suffered a fatal heart attack. She had to run across the street and have the neighbor contact her father at work. Her older sister Irene, still living at home, helped raise her and Buzz. She spent the summer of 1953 in Faulkton, helping her sister Lila and husband Earl with their set of triplets. She often said "she never washed so many diapers"!

After graduation, she moved to Aberdeen, working as a clerk typist for Saunders Motors. One night, she and her roommate went to a wedding dance in Columbia where she was asked to dance by Lloyd Rausch. They dated for a year before getting married on Nov. 19, 1958 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich, with the wedding dance in Hoven. They resided in Mobridge, where she worked at KOLY Radio Station announcing the new babies born at the local hospital. Children, Cindy and Dean, were born in Mobridge and she became a stay-at-home mom. In January of 1961, Lloyd and Betty went to Denver, Colo. for the Stock Show and visiting relatives. They decided they really liked Denver, especially the weather, and moved in 1962. Two more children were born in Denver, Tom and Kent. Along with raising four children, she worked part time at Zollinger Realty Company and various department stores at Christmas time. She worked for Kinko's Copier for 10 years before retiring in 1997. She also spent many fun years, with lifelong friends, volunteering at her children's school. She enjoyed many vacations through the years traveling home to South Dakota, the beautiful Colorado Mountains, Kentucky, Missouri, Maine, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Las Vegas, and especially their trip to England and France when she was able to see the Queen go by in her carriage.

In 1998, they moved to Windsor, Colo., enjoying the small town community. She volunteered many hours to the Windsor Senior Center and at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church enjoying many new friendships because of it.

Her loves, after her family, were reading, baking, making craft projects, decorating for the holidays, researching family genealogy, sending out cards for every occasion, and her IPad. She became quite proficient using FaceBook and will be missed by many looking for her next post. Her love of the Lord helped sustain her through to the end.

Those left to cherish her memory are her loving husband Lloyd of Windsor, Colo .; children, Cindy (Brian) O'Farrell of Englewood, Colo., Dean Rausch (Rochelle Faraco) of Ft. Lupton, Colo., Kent (Kim) Rausch of LaGrange, Ky .; 12 grandchildren and spouses; 12 great-grandchildren; sister, Lila Johnson of Ipswich; brother, Buzz (Diane) Stevenson of Sioux Falls; brothers-in-law, George (Shirley) Rausch of Aberdeen, Richard Rausch, Gettysburg; sister-in-law, Pat Rausch of Pierre; many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Irene, son Tom, great-grandson Liam, numerous brothers and sisters-in law, and several of her friends from Denver and Windsor.

Her interment was on November 19, 2021 at Lakeview Cemetery in Windsor, Colo.

Online condolences can be shared at marksfuneral services.com.