Betty Beenken

Betty Jane (Moore) Beenken, 96, of Mankato, formerly of Truman and Elmore, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, at The Pillars of Mankato.

Celebration of life service was held Sunday, Jan. 21, at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Elmore.

Betty was born April 19, 1927, to George and Velma (Garnes) Moore in Boone, Iowa. Betty graduated high school in 1945 from Blue Earth, graduated in 1946 from Normal Teacher Training in Blue Earth and renewed her teacher certificate by taking summer school at the Mankato Normal School. Starting in 1946 for four years she taught in a one-room schoolhouse near Elmore. While there she met “Benk” Vernon and were married on Dec. 17, 1949, and together they had three children, Judy, Bruce and Sue.

Betty’s cooking was beyond words. She also had a knack for sewing, crafting, decorating and gardening. She loved her Vikings!

Betty is survived by children, Judith (Darrel) Laubach, Bruce (Renée) Beenken and Susan Beenken; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Georgia Wilson and Florence Grams.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Benk in 1991; brother, Richard Moore; and sisters, Helen Latzke and Joyce Possin.