Funeral Services for Elizabeth L. “Betty” Priest age 87 of Ainsworth, Nebraska will be held on Monday (February 18, 2019) at 10:30 AM at Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth. Burial will be held at the Ainsworth Cemetery. Betty Priest passed away on Tuesday (February 12, 2019) at the Brown County Hospital in Ainsworth. Visitations for Betty Priest will be held on Monday from 8:30 AM until the time of service at 10:30 AM at the funeral home. Memorials have been suggested to the Brown County Ambulance Association, the Brown County Hospital or to the family in her name. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hochfuneralhome.com.
Betty was born on April 3, 1931 at the family farm eight miles southwest of Wisner, Nebraska, to Harvey and Anna Veronica (Osman) Breitkreutz, one of eleven children born to this union. She attended District #70 rural school through the eighth grade. Betty then stayed home to help her parents with work on the farm and her younger siblings. She milked cows, picked corn, and stacked hay with her siblings. She had fond memories of playing baseball with her siblings when all their chores were done. Later Betty attended the Norfolk Beauty School and graduated at the top of her class. After cosmetology school, she worked for a while in Pender, Nebraska and eventually ended up in Valentine, Nebraska where she worked in a beauty shop in the basement of a cafe, where she met Jerry Priest.
On Dec 31, 1955, she married Gerald “Jerry” Priest in Pierre, South Dakota. After they were married, they lived in several states where Jerry built power lines and Betty continued to do hair. Five children were born to this union; Sharon, Jeri Lea, Larry, David and Mark. Jerry and Betty bought their farm southwest of Ainsworth in 1971. Betty worked on the farm milking cows, gardening, canning, raising chickens and caring for their children, (the kids said you could often hear her yodeling while milking the cows.) Family was most important to Betty as she enjoyed being with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, playing cards, laughing, and sharing stories. Betty was a wonderful cook and loved to spoil her grandkids with homemade noodles, pies, and her Ribbon Jello dessert.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents; son, Larry Eugene Priest; brothers Al, Roland, and LeRoy; sisters, Violet Thompson and Ramona “Ethel” Colsden.
Betty is survived by her husband, Gerald Priest; her daughters, Sharon (Harlan) Simonson of Ainsworth and Jeri Lea (Gordy) Huddle of Thedford Nebraska; her sons, David (Julie) Priest of Long Pine Nebraska and Mark (Sandy) Priest of Merna Nebraska; her grandchildren, Jesse (Megan) Huddle, Darin (Layne) Priest, Daniel (Laura) Priest, Ryan and Chad Simonson, Adyson and Caenyn Priest; and her great-grandchildren Alyvia and Wrenley Priest, MaKenna and Draiden Priest; brother, Duane Breitkreutz (Florence) of Fremont, Nebraska; sisters, Reta (Larry) Clark of Stanton, Nebraska; Sharon Lehman, of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Evelyn (Richard) Smith of Valentine, Nebraska; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Brown County Ambulance Association, the Brown County Hospital, or to the family in her name.
