Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Benton passed away January 11, 2022. Betty was born to her parent's Walter Sr. and Anna
Lundblad in July 1934 at Glenwood, Minnesota. As a child she remembered playing under a giant lilac bush where
she could hide and no one could see her. Visiting her grandmother as an adult and viewing the bush she said it
hadn't been as good of a hiding place as she thought.

When the U.S. entered WW II Walter was drafted. One male in every family was required to serve. Betty (age 8)
and family then moved to the Black Hills Ordnance Depot in (Igloo) South Dakota. The nearby town of Edgemont
didn't have school buildings so the students attended at the Depot school from 6:00 am until noon and the Depot
students went from 1:00 pm until 6:00 pm. The children did not have a lunch hour, they were given dried fruit for
their meal. Alan and I now understand her fondness for the dreaded fruit cake,

In Betty's High School years, the rivalries between Edgemont High School and the Depot school were hot. She was
very upset when her folks decided to move her to finish High School in Edgemont. She proudly wore her Rattlers
sweater to school her first day. That's when she met Wesley Benton. She had set down at a desk with all the boys
taking the seats around the new girl. In walked this tall strong cowboy who promptly walked over and picked up a
fella and dropped him on the floor, then setting down by her and said "you and I are going to have some fun".
Although she put up some resistance, they ended up getting married in 1951. They were married for 61 years.

Betty loved the Lord, he and music were the driving force in her life. From age four on, all she had to do was listen
to a song once and she could play it on the piano. She played the belle lyre in the school band. She weighed about
80 Ibs. and we have never figured out how she marched with something almost equal to her own weight.

As time went on Alan and Linda joined the family and then there were four. Family First became the moto during
all the remaining years and may it be so for eternity.

Betty was a hard worker, a fine seamstress, and a great cook. She could come up with a meal from almost nothing.
No one left her table unsatisfied or hungry.

At different times she and her friends catered meals, she cooked at school with another set of friends, and they
also prepared meals at their church. Due to a mended heart, she then worked at Cactus Hills as a CNA and
acquired a whole new family of clients to love. She enjoyed being a 4-H leader in two different states.

Betty is survived by her sister Marlys Hammell and husband Bill, son Alan and wife Anita from Cheyenne Wyoming,
daughter Linda Benton Koopman and husband Mike from Edgemont. Four grandchildren Christopher Koopman of
Edgemont, Michelle Jones and husband Derik of Pinedale Wyoming, Ashley Kula and husband Aaron of (White Lake,
MI) and Amanda Withers of Omaha, NE., four great-grandchildren Haden and Adrienne Jones of Pinedale, WY., and
Zoey and Alexander Zarling of Omaha, NE. Her brothers-in-laws Arthur Benton and wife Georgia of Sheridan, WY.,
and Jim Benton and wife Cindy from the Hot Springs area, sister-in-law Eileen Lundblad of Glenrock, WY., and Dottie
McKillip of Glenrock, WY. She also loved her extended families of Wesley's step brothers and sisters.

Betty was preceeded in death by two babies, Wesley, her brothers Walt and John, her parents, Wesley's parents,
Verna Mae Benton, and sister-in-law Francine (Lundblad) Jelle. A celebration of life will be held in the spring. In
lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Edgemont Ambulance Service or First Interstate Bank of Edgemont.