Elizabeth Ann Graf, Miss Betty, died March 10, 2024, at Pine Hills Retirement Community Living Center in Hot Springs, at the age of 96.

Graveside services, officiated by Pastor Doug Burdette, were held Friday, March 15, 2024, at the Evergreen Cemetery, where Betty is now back with Ed and her daughters, Sharron and Mardella.

Betty was born June 13, 1927, in New Diggings, Wisconsin, to Berla (Burris) and Adolph Oellrich.  Her and her family moved to Oelrichs, South Dakota in 1933.  Betty graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1946. Betty loved to tell the story of how she met her husband, Edward Junior Graf, at a Fourth of July dance being held at the City Auditorium.  They were introduced to each other by Ed's sister where he took her hand at the introduction and would not let it go the rest of the evening; they got married on May 19, 1947.  They spent their entire 50 years of married life in Hot Springs, except for a short time in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.  Their life was never dull…in 1948 Mardella Lee was born, eleven months later in 1949 came Sharron Kay, with Valarie Jeanne "surprising" them in 1958.

Ed and Betty opened the Graf Drive-In in 1951 and operated it until 1964.  During that time Betty baked most of the pies and did all of the grill work while Ed performed the other duties of the Graf Drive-In. She co-managed the local movie theatre with Ed for 17 years until it sold.  She continued working there for another decade.  Betty had many other jobs in town including babysitting, being a waitress, a clerk, an office manager at the VA Canteen Service along with other various jobs.

Besides being a dedicated wife, Betty was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, godmother, and friend.  She went by several names, Miss Betty, Bingo Betty and Uncle Betty.

Betty was a life member of the auxiliaries of VFW Post #1640, American Legion Post #71, the DAV, the Rapid City Chapter of Ex-POW's, and was a    lifelong member of Bethesda Lutheran Church.

Betty is preceded in death by her husband, Ed; two daughters, Mardella and Sharron; three sisters, Lorraine, Freda, Carol and son-in-law, Dennis Klein.

She is survived by her daughter, Valarie; Grandson Nickolas, his wife Lynda, and their children, Jonathan and Elizabeth (her name sake); special daughter, Anita Cope; special step grand-daughter Katie Klein-Evans; brother, Hugh Oellrich; sister, Viona Garnick; several cousins, nieces, nephews, and her "family" at Pine Hills Retirement Community.

To just say "Thank You" to the administration and staff at Pine Hills and Stillwater Hospice for the wonderfully amazing care they gave to Mom would be quite inadequate.

In lieu of flowers your donations may be given to the Fall River Pioneer Museum or the Fall River County Historical Society, PO Box 361, Hot Springs, SD 57747.