Betty Stende

Betty M. Stende, 95, of Wahpeton, ND, passed away Sunday, March 10, 2019 at St. Catherine’s Living Center in Wahpeton.  Visitation will be from Noon to 2:00 PM, followed by the funeral service at 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 16, 2019 at Faith Lutheran Church in Dwight, ND.  Rev. Gordon Lee will officiate.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home in Wahpeton.

Betty Mae Lovejoy was born on July 31, 1923 to Charles and Genevieve (Blackwell) Lovejoy in Waterloo, IA.  She grew up near Twin Valley, MN, where she attended school, graduating with the class of 1941.  Betty had many fond memories growing up in Twin Valley; especially visits with her grandparents (Lovejoys), whom she stayed with often during the school week.  After high school, she went to college in Bemidji, MN, for a short while before attending Pine River Teachers Training, and finally graduating from Moorhead State.  Betty had a passion for teaching and taught school for 10 years at different rural schools, and finally taught 1st grade at Twin Valley for over 30 years. On October 9, 1949, Betty was united in marriage to Clarence Stende in Bloomington, IN.  Clarence passed away in 1994 and Betty moved to Dwight, ND in 1998 to be closer to family.

She had a gift for music and enjoyed playing the piano, organ, and accordion, as well as teaching music lessons to children.  Betty also loved camping, fishing with her family, and watching sports on television.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Mae (Kevin) Awender, Dwight, ND; 5 grandchildren, Wendy (Pat) Burhans, Karen Allrich, Jeff Allrich, Heather (Brett) Pietron and Christopher Awender; 12 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; and her sister, Jean (Sandford) Earhart.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; parents, Charles and Genevieve; 2 brothers, Charles Henry Lovejoy and Robert Lovejoy; sister, AnnaLee Allender; and her granddaughter, Cynthia Mae Allrich.

Betty's Memorial Folder