Betty Schuelke, age 89, of Tempe, AZ, formerly of 870 Idaho Ave SE, Huron, SD, died Thursday, March 19, 2009, at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, AZ.

Her memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 27, at First Presbyterian Church with a private burial service at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Visitation will be Thursday from 1-8 p.m. at Welter Funeral Home with family present from 6-8 p.m.

Betty Schuelke was born Betty Jane Martin on April 19, 1919, to Glenn and Myrtle (Johnson) Martin in Huron, SD. She was baptized and confirmed at First Presbyterian Church. She received her education in Huron and graduated from Huron High School in 1936. She attended and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Huron College in 1940. She then taught for 1 year in the Menno, SD, public school system.

On February 8, 1943, Betty married Lyle Schuelke in Huron. She worked for Northwest Bank for 2 years. She then became a homemaker and raised her family. From the early 1960s until her retirement in 1978 she was secretary at First Presbyterian Church.

Betty felt very strongly about helping people and her community and she worked for that purpose through her memberships in many organizations. She was an 80-year member of First Presbyterian Church; church choir; President of the Presbyterian Women; church Clerk of Sessions; benefactor of the church; recipient of the churchs Hineni (servant) Award as volunteer of the year; Salvation Army and recipient of the Salvation Army Award; YWCA; Girl Scouts; and Chapter AN of PEO.

Even though she spent many hours donating her time to important endeavors, her family always came first in her life. She loved to play cards with her friends, especially cribbage and bridge. Following her retirement Betty and Lyle traveled the United States in their motor home meeting new people along the way that they were proud to call their friends.

She is survived by 3 children, Helen (Fritz) Leigh of Chandler, AZ, Marilyn (W.B.) Larson of Plymouth, MN, and David (Paula) Schuelke of San Diego, CA; 5 grandchildren, Nathan (Violet) Larson, Joshua (Sarah) Larson, Graham (Stephanie) Leigh, Amanda (Jonathan) Byers, and Gottfried (Jennifer) Bay; 5 great grandchildren, Nevellie Larson, Allegra Larson, Noah Larson, Kyler Askland, and Gillian Bay; and 1 brother, Jim (Arlene) Martin of Chicago, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Lyle on June 8, 1982.