Betty Syvertsen

Betty Syvertsen of Abercrombie, ND, passed away on August 22, 2021, at the Sanford Hospice House in Fargo. Betty Jean and her twin sister Sally Ann were born to Edward and Sophie (Paulson) Ihland on September 9, 1931, near Abercrombie. When Betty was 7-1/2 years old, her mother passed away leaving her father with a newborn brother, the twins, and 14 and 22-year-old brothers. During those early years, the younger siblings lived at times with relatives and neighbors. In the 1940s, Betty lived in Roseville, CA, with her oldest brother Norman and his wife Helen while Norman was in the Army. When Norman shipped overseas, Helen and Betty remained in Roseville, living near an aunt and uncle. Betty later returned to Abercrombie to attend high school, graduating from Abercrombie High School in 1950, where she loved to play basketball. Betty was baptized and confirmed at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Abercrombie. Betty was united in marriage to Hans A. Syvertsen on June 15, 1953, in Watertown, SD. Betty and Hans lived in Galchutt, ND, where Hans and his father ran an implement business. Hans passed away in 1994 but Betty continued to live in Galchutt until 2013. In 2013, Betty moved to Abercrombie where she lived until she suffered a stroke on August 15th. Betty and Hans raised three children while they lived in Galchutt – Lou Ann, Jeff, and Craig. During those years, Betty helped at the implement business, was custodian for the Galchutt Church, drove school bus and beet truck, helped on her brother’s farm, and could regularly be found helping someone by painting or texturing at their house. Betty became involved with the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion several years ago. Her grandson Christopher and her would camp at Rollag for a week where she would help paint, drive shuttle wagons, or be a conductor on the shuttle wagons during the WMSTR annual Labor Day show. She loved her little “Tatters” dog while she lived in Galchutt and later enjoyed the pets of family members after she moved to Abercrombie, always with a box of dog treats by her chair. Betty loved to ride horse from her early years up until she could no longer get on a horse. Her and Hans would camp at Maplewood State Park where she would ride horse and he would wait at the camper with their dog. She enjoyed camping and could often be found grilling a turkey at a trail ride, taking kids on trail rides, or leading kids around the yard on a horse. Betty instilled the love of horses to both of her granddaughters and enjoyed riding with them or watching their 4-H events. Fall was her favorite season, and she took many pictures of her beautiful blaze orange trees down at the farm. An avid Minnesota Twins fan, she enjoyed watching games on TV or listening to them on the radio with Jeff. Betty is survived by her daughter Lou Ann (Michael) Lee, and sons Jeffrey Syvertsen and Craig (Deb) Syvertsen, of the Abercrombie area. She is also survived by grandchildren Kaaryn (Robert) Weinmann, Christopher Lee, Derek Snyder, Dustin Snyder, and Sophie (Logan) Smith; great-grandchildren Hans, Ella, Ruby, Tess, Brodie, and baby Smith due October 2021; her brother Richard “Dick” Ihland and sister-in-law Sandra Ihland, and many nieces and nephews. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Hans, parents Edward and Sophie Ihland, brother Norman Ihland and his wife Helen, brother Paul Ihland and his wife Iola Ihland Herrick, twin sister Sally Cadaret and her husband Norman, brother-in-law Harold Syvertsen and his wife Morna, and brother-in-law Clayton Syvertsen and his wife Madonna. There will be a Celebration of Life service at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Abercrombie, ND, on September 9, 2021, at 4:30 PM with Janelle Hansen officiating. Visitation with the family will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the St. John’s Cemetery of rural Galchutt, ND. Thank you to friend and neighbor, Sylpha, who spent many hours visiting and relaxing with her outside on the swing and to the caring nurses at the Sanford Hospice House.