Betty Gross, age 74, of rural Carpenter, SD, died Friday, November 27, 2009, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

A Celebration of Her Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 1, at Carpenter United Methodist Church with burial at Pitrodie Cemetery, rural Carpenter.

Visitation will be Monday from 1-8 p.m. at Welter Funeral Home with family present from 6-8 p.m.; or Tuesday morning one hour prior to the service.

Betty Gross was born Betty Joan Wheeler, daughter of Edward and Lucille (Saboe) Wheeler, on June 6, 1935, in Doland, SD. She graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1953. She attended Huron College and received her teaching certificate.

In December of 1954, Betty married Wesley Gross in Huron. The couple moved to a farm south of Carpenter where Betty lived the remainder of her life.

She was a member of the Carpenter United Methodist Church where she was an adult Sunday school teacher for over 25 years; United Methodist Women; and Carpenter Ladies Aid.

Betty enjoyed her weekly bible study class, and her family and friends stopping by her home for coffee.

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Craig (Kacey) Gross of Huron, Kyle (Kim) Gross of Iroquois, Lynette (Stan) VanWyk of Hawarden, IA, Kelly Gross of Mitchell, and Casey Gross of Yale; 10 grandchildren, Adam (Nicky) Gross, Brady Gross, Callie Gross, Ethyn Cremer, Alex Gross, Bobby Wallum, Ashlynne Gross, Kati VanWyk, Kelby VanWyk, and Kassie VanWyk; 1 great granddaughter, Adalyn Gross; 1 sister, Alice Mae Moeding of Huron; 1 sister-in-law, Mary Wheeler of Puyallup, WA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Wesley in July 1982; son, Cody in July 1990; brother, Clifford Wheeler in July 2009; and brother-in-law, Fred Moeding.