Betty Trewet

Betty Lea Trewet was born February 23, 1938, in Hamburg, Iowa, the daughter of Jesse and Maxine (Strait) Chance and passed away Saturday, June 9, 2012, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa.

She was raised on the family farm in rural Sidney, Iowa. She attended Spring Valley Country School and graduated from the Sidney High School with the class of 1956. Following high school she moved to Des Moines, IA to attend Iowa Methodist School of Nursing. She obtained her Registered Nurse diploma in 1959. On September 6, 1959, she was united in marriage to Carrol Trewet in Sidney, Iowa.

Shortly after their wedding, Betty and Carrol moved to Iowa City so Carrol could attend dental school. While there, Betty worked as an RN at the University of Iowa Hospital until 1963. Upon Carrol's graduation they moved to Wichita Falls, TX while Carrol served in the Air Force for two years. Then, they moved to Atlantic where she began to focus on being a mother to their five wonderful children, Mitch, Lauri, Matt, Mike and Mark. While raising the children, she worked as a substitute nurse for the Atlantic Community Schools from 1966 to 1980. In 1981, Betty and Carrol purchased the Western Store in Atlantic where Betty was the manager. Betty then went to work for the Atlantic Dental Center until 1995 at which time she returned to being a mother and a grandmother.

She was a founding member of the PEO Chapter MU, a member of the Browning Literary Club and served on the Atlantic Library Board as secretary. She was a member of the Atlantic Junior Federated Club, and during her presidency, Federated was instrumental in fluoridating the city water system. She co-chaired a school bond issue in 1982. She was the First Lady of the Iowa Dental Association in 1997. She served on the committee of Music Endowment Program for the Sidney Iowa Music Scholarship. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church in Sidney and Atlantic.

As a mother, she taught us many things: that family is the most important thing; to always greet people with a smile; time spent with those you love is precious; to delight at the sound of a wren's song; stories about our family history are enchanting; sunsets deserve your undivided attention; and that life is a beautiful adventure. Oh! And, don't forget to stock up on those chewy cinnamon candy hearts right after Christmas; they will be sold out way before Valentine's Day!

As a sister, she was the best of friends, a task master, a staunch supporter - no matter what, and she proved that it is possible to have fun with both your sister and your mother on road trips.

As an aunt, of just two beautiful girls, she was a confidant, she was generous to a fault and she was always laughing...until you threw her Hummel figurines in the fireplace.

Betty will be kept in loving memory by her husband, Carrol Trewet of Atlantic, Iowa; her children, Lauri Vance and her children Jake and Drew, all of Omaha, NE, Matt Trewet and wife, CoraLynn, and their children, Carter, Cate and Charlie, all of Ankeny, IA, Mike Trewet and his wife, Lisa, and their children, Tim and Jesse, all of Mason City, IA, and Mark "Po" Trewet and wife, Jodi, and their children, T. J. and Emily, all of Granger, IA; daughter-in-law, Tami (Mitch) Trewet, and their children, Chance and Caroline, all of Atlantic, IA; her sister, Nancy (Mark) Kedzior of Iowa City, IA; her nieces, Kristi (Bernie) Sams, and their children, Audrey, Bernie and Jack, all of Lexington, KY and Jessica Kedzior of Lexington, KY; as well as many cousins and dear friends.

Welcoming her to her eternal home were her son, Mitch Trewet; her parents, Jesse and Maxine Chance; and her parents-in-law, Carrol and Ruth (Phillips) Trewet.

Visitation with family will be at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 12, 2012.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, June 13, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Atlantic, IA. Burial will take place at the Grandview Cemetery in Sidney, IA, at 2:30 p.m.

Betty's family requests memorials to the Atlantic Carnegie Library or an organization or charity of your choice in memory of Betty.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.