Betty Jean Hennen, age 83 , of Prior Lake, MN, peacefully passed away in to her Lord ’s arms on Sunday, March 10, 2019, while residing at Mala Strana Assisted Living and Rehabilitation in New Prague, MN.
A Celebration of Life Service will be on Friday, March 15 , at 11 am, with a visitation two hours prior, at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Fish Lake , 20200 Fairlawn Avenue, Prior Lake. Rev. Dr. Bre n t L. Parrish will preside. Betty’s pallbearers will be grandchildren, Matthew Hennen, John Hennen, Jack Boike , Wyatt Lehne , Vanessa Dalbec and Leslie Hennen . She will be laid to rest at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
On January 31, 1936 on the family farm in Spring Lake township, Betty Jean was born to parents Emil and Helena ( Dubbe ) Kohout . The sixth of nine children, she and her siblings , Irene, Harry, Art, Ellen, Roman, Bessie, Donald and Ruth (before she passed as a little girl) , grew up on the family farm near Lydia, MN. As a young girl, Betty learned the i mportance of a strong work ethic and a solid faith foundation. She attended Lydia grade school through the sixth grade . Betty continued her education two more years , at Immanuel Lutheran School , before returning home to assist her parents and uncles back on the farm s .
It was at a dance at the Spring Lake Pavillion that Betty meet Norbert Peter Hennen. Their love flourished and on May 22, 1954 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Betty and Norbert declared their love in the presence of God. It was from this union, Betty and Norbert welcomed Randy, Norbert Jr, Lori, Leann, Cathy and Cindy . The Hennen family established their home on a farm in Prior Lake. Here , Betty taught her childhood values to her children , the importance of a strong work ethic , and faith .
Family was most important in Betty’s life. When they weren’t farming, the Hennen family relished Sunday afternoons visiting relatives at their homes, or having picnic s at Fish Lake or Carl’s Lake. Betty and Norbert loved playing cards with family and friends, while the children played nearby . In the early 1980 ’s , the cows were sold , but the family kept on farming. Through the years, Betty worked various part time jobs , w hile still being a devoted wife and mother . When time allowed, she and Norbert loved to dance, especially to polkas . They began traveling , with fond memories to Hawaii, Texas and Colorado. They wou ld head north renting a cabin with family or with nephew Curt Jasmer and his family , where they all enjoyed fishing and socializing.
As her family grew to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren, they were the light of her life. Betty and Norbert enjoyed taking them on outings and babysitting whenever possible. She made sure to instill in them the values of working hard, family and the importance of a strong faith foundation. In Betty’s free time, she enjoyed working in her flower and vegetable gardens , cooking and listening to music. Dedicated to her faith, Betty spent countless hours volunteering at the church and attending services.
Betty lead a simple but rich and full life, filled with tears, laughter and love . Unselfishly, Betty opened her heart and home to all, finding good in everyone she encountered. Betty loved to tease and greeted you with a big smile. She was a strong woman and took that strength wi th being a two – time cancer survivor.
Betty’s strong morals and values will forever live on in the hearts of those she loved the most , husband of almost 65 years, Norbert; children, Norbert J (Kathy) Hennen Jr., Lori (Edward) Zeug , Leann (Kevin) Arndt, Cathy (Mark) Retrum , Cindy (Tim) Boike ; 13 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; siblings, Irene Jasmer, Harry Kohout , Ellen Hennen, Roman (Barb) Kohout , Bessie Janousek; sister s -in-law, Hazel Kohout , Dorothy Kraft : other relatives and friends.
Betty was greeted home in heaven by her son, Randy; parents Emil and Helena ; siblings, Art, Donald and Ruth ; as well as other beloved family and friends.
