Betty L. Kolanczyk
February 7, 1946 ~ February 27, 2025
Born in:
Fargo, North Dakota
Resided in:
Hillsboro, North Dakota
Betty Lou (Larson) Kolanczyk, 79, passed away peacefully on February 27th, 2025, at Sanford Medical Center, Hillsboro, ND after a brave and lengthy battle with cancer.
She was born in Fargo, ND on February 7th, 1946, to Morris and Esther Larson.
Betty graduated from Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro, ND in 1964 and graduated from St Olaf College in 1968 with a degree in mathematics.
After graduation, Betty went to work in data processing for Northwest Computer Services (later known as Northwest Information Services) in Minneapolis, MN. In June of 1968, she met Jim when she joined the IT project on which he was assigned. They married on August 1st, 1977.
Betty’s career span of over 50 years included management positions at Peer, EFS, Verifone, Marsh, Allegiance Capital and Vice President at Hewlitt Packard. These career changes moved Betty and Jim throughout the United States including Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, and San Jose, CA. In these positions, Betty traveled extensively to India, Malta, Europe, and Australia.
Spending special moments with family and friends brought great joy to Betty. She was a fabulous cook and enjoyed entertaining. Another source of joy for Betty was her love of travel. Betty and Jim enjoyed many cruises and 37 years of vacations on South Padre Island. Two very memorable trips were their African safaris to Tanzania.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Jim, of 47 years, parents Esther and Morris Larson and brother Lynn Larson.
She is survived by her sisters Pam (Don) Lawrence, Paulette
(Bruce) Bowersox, sister-in-law Delores Larson, nephews Tim
Larson, John (Danielle) Duffy, Morris (Jocelyn) Duffy, Miles
(Kayse) Duffy, great nephew Owen, great nieces Emma, Irelyn,
and Olivia.
Extended family sister-in-law Gert Kolanczyk, special niece Susan
Engelking, nephews Mike (Lani), Rick (Linda), Jerry (Corina),
Randy (DeeDee) Kolanczyk, great nephews Zach, Derek, Chuck,
great nieces Marta, Katie, Rachael, Elizabeth, Hannah, Alyssa,
great-great nieces Allison and Addie, Betty’s special Texas friends
who were like family and her special little dog, Llano.
Betty’s love, kindness, generosity and inspiring spirit will be
greatly missed.
We would like to give a special thanks to the medical staff at
Sanford Hillsboro Hospital for their love and excellent care.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 204 E. Caledonia, Hillsboro, ND 58045
Services
Memorial Service - Saturday: March 29, 2025 2:00 pm
Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Hillsboro
204 East Caledonia Avenue
Hillsboro, ND 58045
(701) 636-5701
http://oslchillsboro.com/
Visitation - Saturday: March 29, 2025 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Hillsboro
204 East Caledonia Avenue
Hillsboro, ND 58045
(701) 636-5701
http://oslchillsboro.com/
God rest your soul Betty; for all the great memories you and Jim made with us: the dinners at your favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities to the comfort of your home in Dallas when we came to visit. To the times spent on the farm where you grew up and along the river where Virgil and Sally once lived. Loved driving in the cars you owned like the black Monte Carlo and red Mustang convertible as you and Jim took us on drives around the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers to Valley Fair and Renaissance Festival, then to new places to discover in Texas. You were a loving sister-in-law, a kind friend, gracious host, loved sharing all our animals together, weren’t afraid of grasshoppers in the field, and loved your Mom and Dad. We will miss those great times but are so glad your long fight is over, pain and suffering eased, and your eternal rest has been won ~
Pam and Paulette, You are in my thoughts and prayers, and so grateful Betty got to be with you and her family. We will all miss her dearly in Dallas.
Betty was an extended part of my family and will be greatly missed. Her kindness, strength and intellect are the first things that come to my mind. She always brought joy and smiles to events of our family and was a source of strength for all of mom’s health issues over the years. She successfully completed the 60 mile Koman breast cancer walk to celebrate mom’s cure. I will never forget you Betty. My condolences and prayers go out to her family. May she rest peacefully with Jim.
Pam and Paulette, my deepest sympathies to you and your family at the passing of your dear sister Betty. I pray for you to to be strengthened and comforted by your love for her, your many wonderful memories of times shared with her, and your faith in God welcoming her home.
I met Betty 39 years ago this year shortly after moving to Dallas the same year she and Jim moved here from Minneapolis. We met at Peer Services where we both had the same boss. We got to know each other as a result of Jim having a heart attack and me going to spend time with Betty at the hospital. Over the ensuing years, we got to be good friends, she was my mentor, and we shared many family and holiday celebrations together. Betty was a great business leader, she was my mentor at the second company we worked for and then many years later after she retired from the insurance company, she came to work in our business until she retired again. In all the years we shared our friendship, I never heard her raise her voice or utter a bad word. She was a kind and generous person to all. What I see now that may have been her most impressive quality was her inner strength and grace. She was a kind and gentle person while being a strong and compassionate person when it came to dealing with others especially Jim. What a sweet couple they were. I will cherish all the great times we had together at birthday celebrations, anniversaries, graduations, weddings and yes, even hospital waiting rooms. I will miss you Betty Lou. Love, Connie