BETTY LOU (TENNEY) NIELSEN was born August 12, 1926, at Osceola, Iowa, to William and Leona (Van Auken) Tenney. She passed away Sunday, March 28, 2010, at Logan Valley Manor in Lyons, Nebraska, at the age of 83 years.

As a small child, she moved with her family from Iowa to Wheatland, Wyoming. The stay there was brief and they moved to eastern Nebraska. Betty attended rural schools in Burt County and graduated from Lyons High School. She attended Wayne State and Midland Colleges, earning her teaching certificate. She taught in Washington and Burt Counties. While teaching at Moore School, District No. 58, she met Jack Nielsen. Jack and Betty were united in marriage on August, 12, 1949, in Oakland, Nebraska. To this union three sons were born: John Richard, Mark Leslie and Michael Christian. Jack adopted Betty’s daughter, Jerrianne, from a previous marriage. They made their home in the country east of Lyons. This past August, they celebrated their 60th anniversary.

Betty was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lyons. She enjoyed her homemaking, trying new recipes and getting together with her family. She especially liked doing her genealogy and finding records of ancestors.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sons, Mark and Michael; 3 brothers and a sister.

Survivors include her husband, Jack of Lyons; son, John of Torrington, Wyoming; daughter, Jerrianne (Milt ) Schreiner of Omaha, Nebraska; brother, Gerald (Shirley) Tenney of Hartington, Nebraska; 3 grandchildren, Mark Booth of Omaha, Rachael Nielsen of Gillette, Wyoming, Jamie Nielsen of Chadron, Nebraska; 3 step grandchildren, Julie (Joe) Wynn of Omaha, Shannon O’Connor and Kelly Broberg of Chadron; two great grandchildren, Alayna Michelle and Jack Couper Rudloff of Gillette.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 2:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Lyons.

VISITATION: Tuesday 1 – 8 p.m., family receiving friends 4 – 6 p.m. at the funeral home. Visitation will also be held Wednesday at the church one hour prior to the service.

BURIAL: Lyons Cemetery

MEMORIALS: First Presbyterian Church, Lyons

Please feel free to send your condolences to the family.
Each condolence will be printed and given to the family after the service.

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