Betty Lou (Adolphson) Diers, was born on June 4, 1927, in Clinton, Minn. She lived in Clinton, Minneapolis and Chicago with her grandmother and her aunts. She married Walter Henry Diers (Mike) on January 26, 1945 in Clinton.
Betty worked in a restaurant and cared for her daughter Carla while Mike served in the Army and was stationed in Korea. When Mike traveled the Midwest building grain elevators, Betty, Carla, Pam, and Mick accompanied him, living in a 16-foot travel trailer that they built. Betty would often cook for the construction crew, thus her cooking career began. The family moved to Coon Rapids in 1952 and then to Rush City in 1956. Betty, Mike and their family built four homes in Rush City, each unique in some way.
Betty was an energetic, independent, spunky, fun-loving, hard-working, big-hearted woman who always helped others and touched many lives. She used her talents to help Rush City in numerous ways. She volunteered for the United Way and the Red Cross. She was a member of Womens Club, St. Johns Lutheran Church, and the Spaghetti Days planning committee. For 29 years, she diligently raised money to build a swimming pool in Rush City and finally saw her dream come to fruition in 1997 when the Rush City community pool opened. She was a Girl Scout, Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader for 42 years and served as VFW Auxiliary President for seven terms. Bettyís efforts were recognized by the community in 1986 when she received the Citizen of the Year award.
Betty loved to cook, and even when she wasnít in the kitchen at home, church, the municipal hall, or the VFW, she was often still wearing her apron. Betty prepared numerous meals and banquets for Lions, VFW, Boy Scouts, church fund-raisers, funerals, weddings, and anniversary celebrations. Who can forget her recipe in the church cook book for spaghetti and garlic bread for 1250, the famous Boy Scout bean feeds, or the annual lutefisk dinners she cooked and served? She most enjoyed preparing feasts for the family, and smiled a lot as she watched her family eat, talk, and laugh together.
Betty loved being outdoors and could work in her garden for hours, often bent over at the waist pulling weeds, with her little dog Le Beau nearby for company. Her friends meant the world to her, and she enjoyed outings and daily coffee breaks with them whenever she could. She and Mike liked to host parties for friends, and she often entertained by singing, yodeling, or playing guitar, organ, accordion, or harmonica.
Bettyís greatest love was Mike, and that love carried them through 55 years together. They raised five children who gave them ten grandchildren. Betty and Mike traveled to all 50 states and Europe, and often took trips in their small plane. Betty often commented how fortunate she was to have the opportunity to travel like this. Betty lovingly cared for Mike as his Alzheimerís progressed, and she has missed him deeply since he died in December of 2000. We find hope in her faith, knowing that she and Mike are reunited once again loving and laughing together in their heavenly home.
Betty will be missed by many friends and by her family. She is survived by her children: Carla Albers of Santa Fe, New Mexico, daughter Sarah; Pam and Chris Carlson of Brooklyn Center; children Becky, Brian, and Jeremy; Walter Henry Jr. (Mick) and Lenore Diers of Iowa City, Iowa; daughters Kate and Anne; Donnette and Greg Wheelock of Mankato; David and Karen Diers of Woodbury; children Aaron, Mikayla, Talia, and Kilian. She is also survived by three sisters Donna and Ray Hoffman of Montana, Doris and Carroll Olson of Alabama, and Glenda and Howard Nielsen of Georgia, and sister-in-law Gertrude (Toots) Goldsmith of South Dakota who is Mikeís twin sister and was just like a sister to Betty. Preceding Betty in death is her husband Walter H. Mike Diers.
Pastor Steve Tischer will officiate at Memorial Services Wednesday, Sept. 22, 11a.m. at St. Johns Lutheran Church of Rush City. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the Funeral & Cremation Service of Rush City *Olson Chapel*.

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