Betty A. Newberg, age 89 of Sioux Falls, SD passed away on Sunday, November 22, 2020 in home hospice surrounded by her family after a short battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private family funeral service was held on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, followed by interment at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Betty Ann Thompson was born November 10, 1931 to Minnie (Falk) and Edwin Thompson. She was the second youngest of eight children. Betty was born and raised on a farm outside Garretson, and graduated from Garretson High School.
She met Warren “Stretch” Newberg at a dance and they married on April 9, 1954.
She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Sioux Falls College. She earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Augustana College while working full time and raising her children. Betty was a fourth grade teacher with the Sioux Falls School System for over 30 years and worked at Cleveland Elementary prior to retirement. Stretch passed away on December 2, 1984.
After Betty’s retirement, she dedicated her life to her family, especially her grandchildren. She didn’t miss one event that her grandchildren had, whether it was a sporting event, award ceremony or concert performance. She traveled the world with family and friends, but the lake home on Lake Madison that she and Stretch built for their family was her favorite place to be. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, educator and friend.
Grateful for having shared her life are her three daughters: Terri (Dan) Smith, Montrose, SD; Traci (Kevin) Rovang, Sioux Falls and Toni (Tim) Cranny, Sioux Falls; her grandchildren; Mark (Jill) Smith, Woodbury, MN, Michael Smith (Kelsey Quickstad), Minneapolis, MN, Megan Rovang, Lincoln, NE, Nick Rovang, Vermillion, SD, Lizzy (Charlie) Nelson, Sioux Falls, and Jake Cranny, Sioux Falls; great-grandchildren Ben, Harry and Sam Smith, and Rocco Nelson; her sister Ellen Doese; along with many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and cousins.
Betty is preceded in death by her husband, Stretch; her parents; and her siblings, Cleo Eneboe, Gene Thompson, Mavis Backer, Bob Thompson, Faye Bowden, and Phyllis Osvog.
Our family would like to thank Avera Neurology, Rheumatology, Nephrology and Hematology and the nurses at the Infusion Center. We’d also like to thank Avera Home Hospice for taking wonderful care of our mother in the end of life. Sometimes we don’t know the true value or meaning of a moment until it becomes a memory. We cherish those memories of our mother, and she lives on through all of us.
Memorials can be directed to Grace Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls or Avera Home Hospice, Sioux Falls.
