Betty Lou Habben

Betty Lou (Beeman) Habben passed away on October 14th 2026, at the age of 92. Betty was born on a farm at home by Conrad, Iowa on February 26, 1934 to William D and Hebedena (Bonk) Beeman. Her family moved to a farm east of Dike when she was in fourth grade. Betty had three older sisters, Jean, Shirley and Janice and an older brother Russell, who passed away from leukemia when he was seven. Upon graduating from Dike High School Betty went to Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. Following the two year program she taught kindergarten in Reinbeck and was a substitute teacher in Dike. Later, she spent several years at home raising her and Duane’s three girls. In later years she worked at the Scandinavian Shop and at the ASCS office in Grundy Center assisting farmers. Betty married the love of her life, Duane Habben on December 26, 1954. They had three daughters, Connie, Juli and Ann. Until 1974 they lived southeast of Dike, and following that, on her family farm east of Dike. Growing up, Betty took piano lessons from Marlys Paige. For over 60 years she played the piano at the Dike Methodist church. She and Duane enjoyed traveling, often with Betty’s sisters and their husba...[more]

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ands. She enjoyed gardening and caring for houseplants, and also loved to cook and bake and would make several loaves of bread at a time when she was raising her family. In retirement Betty enjoyed playing the piano and singing, hunting for and collecting antiques, and getting together with friends. She and Duane spent many hours taking food to and visiting friends and acquaintances who were sick, lonely or homebound. She especially loved being around the grandchildren and great grandchildren. In her final years when her health was failing, she was extremely grateful to Duane for his amazing care. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Dena Beeman, sisters and their husbands, Jean and Jack Schmid, Shirley and Bill Fredrick, and Jan and Bill Schupbach, brother, Russell, her mother and father-in-law, Ed & Grace Habben, brother-in-law, Lynn Habben, and sister-in-law, Cecile Powers and her husband, Bob. Betty is survived by her husband, Duane, three daughters, Connie Lopez (Francisco), of Chandler, AZ, Juli Kopriva (Tim) of Dike, and Ann O’Connor (Paul) of rural Dike, grandsons, Shane Lopez (Bridget) and Lucas Lopez (Kyra), of Chandler, AZ, Nick Kopriva (Kelly) of Polk City and Joel Kopriva (Tara) of Dike, granddaughters, McKenzie Woods (Matt) of Sioux Falls, SD, Haley Hook (Blake) of Grundy Center, and Carrie Parizek (Charlie) of rural Elberon, and fourteen great grandchildren, with one on the way. A visitation will be held from 1-3 on Sunday, October 18th, with a funeral on Monday October 19th at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Dike. Following the service, lunch will be served at the church. A private burial will then take place at Elmwood Cemetery in Dike. Memorials can be directed to the family, who will make a donation to the Dike Pool, in memory of Betty. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the people who cared for her at The Elms and Parkview Nursing Home in Reinbeck, Cedar Valley Hospice, and Care Initiatives Hospice. Betty is now singing loudly and proudly in heaven!