BettyAnn Thiel

Rugby

BettyAnn Marie (Spokely) Thiel, 94, Rugby, died Friday, October 18, 2024, at the Living Center Care Center, Rugby, North Dakota.

Betty was born in Kramer, North Dakota, to Silas and Fern (Brandt) Spokely. She married Melvin Lloyd Thiel on July 4, 1948, in Bottineau, North Dakota, and they celebrated 75 years together the summer of 2023.

Betty spent her childhood in the Kramer area. Her mother died when she was a toddler. She was raised in the home of her grandparents, Ed and Amelia Brandt, as a little sister to a host of aunts and uncles that would always be her children’s close family.

Their married life took Betty and Melvin from Kramer to West Fargo, Rugby, several years on the road and eventual retirement, back in Rugby. Wherever they were, Betty was active in a church or volunteer organization. In her younger years, she also often had a “job.” She waitressed at various places, did accounting work for A&G Cattle Company, and was active in St. Paul Lutheran Church Council, church choir, LWML and Sunday school. In addition to her own family of husband, kids and grandkids, she usually had one or two others that she was looking out for by providing meals or other assistance. She enjoyed gardening, crafts, painting and drawing, and crochet. During recent years, she crocheted nearly 500 baby caps that she donated to hospitals for infants as well as several lap robes that went to various family members.

Her survivors include children, Vicki Hoffart, Wayne (Ruth) Thiel, and Glen (Helga) Thiel, Jerome (Kim) Thiel, and Teri (Mark Ellis) Xavier, son-in-law, Wayne (Elaine Cofell) Axtman, and 14 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, husband, daughter Myra Axtman, grandson Michael Thiel, great-granddaughters Emily and Savanah Thiel, brother Dayton Brandt and sister-in-law Adele Brandt Douglas, half-brothers Harlan (Doris) Spokely and LeRoy (Beverly) Spokely.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 2:00 PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at Persilla Watts Cemetery in Rugby. Friends may call at the church one hour prior to the service time.

www.niewoehnerfh.com

Published by The Minot Daily News, October 21, 2024.