Clara Betty Rowe ("Betty"), age 79, of Hot Springs, SD, was called home to Heaven on December 13, 2013, from the Castle Manor Nursing Home in Hot Springs.

Betty was born September 22, 1934, to Rex and Rose (Mueksch) Sexton in Hot Springs. She grew up on the family farm located on Cascade Road, south of Hot Springs. She met and married her first husband Don Olson when he had returned from the Korean War and was based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, his last active duty military base before being discharged following his wartime service. Don and Betty had a son and a daughter, moving to Compton, California, in 1956. She remarried James Rowe of Downey, California, in 1973, and remained a resident of Southern California until her early retirement as a second level CRSAB Manager for Pacific Bell in 1989 at the age of 55. James and Betty Rowe returned after retirement to build a home in Hot Springs, with James passing away in February of 2002 after very close to thirty (30) years of marriage. In October of 2003, while returning from a trip to visit with Katherine's mother Dee in Grand Junction, Colorado, she suffered a massive brain aneurysm which resulted in her entering into Castle Manor Nursing Home in November of 2003, where she remained until her passing this month. Betty's eldest sister Dorothy faithfully visited with her daily at the Nursing Home until Dorothy's death in the Fall of 2009. Her son Mike and his wife, Katherine, honored Betty's wishes by never relocating Betty from her beloved Hot Springs to the Los Angeles area, despite their personal pain and sadness of such a long geographic separation from Mom. Born and raised in the Hot Springs area, fulfilling her lifelong dream of an early retirement and return to Hot Springs in her mid-50's, Betty enjoyed 14 wonderful years (ages 55 to 69) of wonderful health and tremendous community involvement, much of it being with Fall River Health Systems in various volunteer capacities.

She will be remembered as a wonderful friend to so many in Hot Springs in general, of her fellow Hot Springs High School alumni and of the many Fall River Health Services Auxiliaries in particular, as well as her lifelong friend Bonnie Jo Cohee of Gillette, Wyoming, and Sid and Marian Phelps of Spearfish, South Dakota. Most importantly and significantly of all, she knew her greatest Friend and personal Savior Jesus in the free pardon and merciful grace of spiritual salvation, and is even now in His presence forever and ever.

Betty is survived by her son Michael Olson and his wife Katherine of Long Beach, California, whom she regarded as a beloved daughter nicknamed "Trinkie", as well as two grandsons, Matthew and his wife Sheri of Corona, California, as well as Mark of Long Beach, California. She was blessed with the heritage for five great-grandchildren; Matthew's and Sheri's sons Kylan and Kason, and Mark's daughters Lola, Calina, and Sophia. She also leaves behind in this life a number of nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her Mother and Father, Rex and Rose Sexton of Hot Springs, South Dakota, as well as her husband James Rowe of Hot Springs, South Dakota and daughter Nancy Olson of Los Angeles, California. In addition, she was last living child or Rose and Rex, having been preceded in death by all her siblings, her two older sisters Mae Neely and Dorothy Gordon and her younger brother George Sexton, as well as her daughter Nancy Olson.

Memorial services will be held at a later date in California.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of Hot Springs. Written condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.