Betty Jean Bruening, 86
Betty Jean Bruening, age 86 of Waucoma, died Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, at Linn Haven Rehab & Healthcare in New Hampton.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton with the Rev. Nick Radloff presiding.
Burial will be in the Dumont Cemetery, Dumont.
Friends may greet the family an hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Online condolences for Betty’s family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com.
Betty “Jeannie” Bruening was born Sept. 23, 1935, the daughter of Ira and Mildred (Askew) Lutz. She attended a rural country school through the eighth grade and then helped her parents on the family farm rather than finishing high school.
While at a dance in Charles City, Betty was smitten by a young man by the name of Fred Borneman. They fell in love and were married at the Brethren Lutheran church, Greene, in 1957. He passed away in 1980.
Betty was always willing to help and began caring for a woman whose wish was to stay in her home during her remaining days. Since her husband was an over-the-road truck driver and away for a good part of every week, Betty stepped in and cared for her until her passing.
She later married Louie Bruening in 1984. Betty’s faith was important and she decided to convert to Catholicism on April 10, 2004. Her faith was a driving and comforting force throughout her life, and she tried to fulfill it every day.
Betty was a housekeeper for the old Waucoma Event Center for the last 25 years, caring for the facility and also caring for the Waucoma Park.
She enjoyed camping, vacations with family and friends, and never missed a school or family reunion at Colwell. She loved to play cards with the “Jolly Old Timers” and with the local senior citizens.
Betty is survived by two sisters, Beverly Schmitt of Hampton, and Marie Keohler of Nashua; one brother, David Lutz of Charles City; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; both her husbands; brother, Harlan Lutz; brothers-in-law, Joe Schmitt and Jim Koehler; sister-in-law, Georgie Lutz.
