Services for 96-year-old Betty Lou Edwards of Emmetsburg will be 10:30 am Thursday, November 6th, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Emmetsburg. Burial will take place in Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 – 7 pm Wednesday, November 5th, at Martin-Mattice Funeral Home in Emmetsburg.
Betty Lou (Hough) Edwards, daughter of Fred and Gertrude (Hahn) Hough, was born September 5, 1929, in Mallard, Iowa. She received her education in Country Schools and finished her education at Mallard High School.
On May 1, 1949, Betty was united in marriage to Lyle Edwards at Lyle’s parents house, due to the fact that Bethany Lutheran Church was being built. To this union, four children were born.
Some of Betty’s hobbies included playing the card game “31” with her grandkids. She always had a supply of pennies in a jar ready for them. Betty also loved playing Bingo at the VFW, so much so that she kept going for 60 plus years. Family and friends often were treated to her cooking skills. We’ll fondly remember her banana bread, cinnamon rolls, homemade angel food cakes and egg noodles.
After Lyle retired, the couple spent summers camping and attending music festivals. Lyle played at many Old Time Country Music events while Betty shared her baked goodies. She also fried many chickens up as she hosted years of Sunday family dinners.
Betty retired at age 81 from her job serving breakfast and lunch at West Elementary School. She enjoyed greeting the kids and loved seeing their smiles. After her retirement, if the weather was nice, you’d often see her sitting out front of her house waving to the friends that would honk as they drove down Lawler street.
Betty passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at Emerald Oaks at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her parents, her spouse, Lyle, and son, Randy (age 1½), and siblings, Lawrence (Bud), Helen Swanson, William, Charles, Emerson, Richard, Marguerite Bramley and Melba Stoltz.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Rick (Deb Studer) Edwards of Decorah, IA, Pam (Terry) Rouse of Curlew, IA, and Scott (Ann Degnan) Edwards of Johnston, IA; 13 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren; her sister, Maxine Ruppert of Emmetsburg; several nieces and nephews; as well as many other relatives and friends.
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