Obit: Craft, Betty Mae (1935 - 2021)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Craft, Hemmersbach, Welch, Grimm, Mayer, Parker, Hamblen, Humphrey, Miles, Wadsworth, Weidman, Sutherland

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., WI) 11/12/2021

Craft, Betty Mae (2 May 1935 – 8 November 2021)

Betty Mae (Welch) Craft, age 86, of Arpin, passed away peacefully Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Betty was born May 2, 1935, in Wisconsin Rapids to William and Regina (Hemmersbach) Welch. She was raised in the Marshfield and Chili area. On Oct. 29, 1952, she married Wayne Craft and they spent most of their married life in Nekoosa.

Betty was well known as the "lunch lady" as she was the Nekoosa School District hot lunch manager and cook for 34 years. She loved the kids and many still remember her. Betty catered for many events with her best friend Rita Sutherland. She catered her last wedding at age 80 where she celebrated by doing the "mashed potato" which is hilarious and was captured on video.

Betty and Wayne loved fishing and their road trips to California on their motorcycle and camping trip to Alaska. She loved spending time with friends; bowling, dancing and playing cards. She was known to get a bit loud watching the Packers. She could always come up with funny comments to take you off guard and make you chuckle too. After retiring Betty moved to her daughter and son-in-law's farm in Arpin. Retirement meant many more road trips with her sister-in-law Marguerite Dupee or cousin Sally Bremmer taking her all over the U.S. She took several trips including tours to Alaska, Ireland, England, Germany, France and Italy. She loved spending time with her family. She was very close to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also helped her daughter build a cabin on the farm. This became the headquarters for hunting season where she manned the kitchen and enjoyed the stories that were told.

Betty is survived by her brother, William (Bev) Welch of Marshfield; children, Judy (Larry) Grimm of Arpin, Dennis (Barb) Craft of Tucson AZ, and Douglas (Mary) Craft of Dexterville; eight grandchildren, Rick (Shelly) Grimm of Arpin, Amy Mayer of Lakeville MN, Dana (Will) Parker of Silver Spring MD, Jessica (Scott) Hamblen of Tucson AZ, Matt (Julie) Humphrey of Appleton, Laura (Simon) Miles of Seattle WA, Travis (Fiancé Sarah) Craft of DeForest and Tricia (Charles) Wadsworth of Stevens Point; and her 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne in 1994; sister, Patricia Weidman; and her parents.

Family will greet friends and relatives from 10:00 A.M. - 12 noon on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Feldner/Ritchay Funeral Home in Nekoosa, WI with a service at 12 noon. A luncheon will follow at the Nekoosa Community Center where Betty's famous chicken will be served. Burial will be held at Green Hill Cemetery in the Town of Saratoga after the lunch.

The family would like to thank Wells Nature View and Heartland Hospice for their compassion and excellent care.

Feldner/Ritchay Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.