Betty Jane Brandt, age 99, passed away peacefully with family on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD. She was born on March 6, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois, to Agda (Halen) and Edward Hackbarth and grew up in her hometown of Lake Park, Iowa. Betty graduated from Lake Park High School in 1945 and filled her high school years playing basketball and singing in the mixed chorus and the Girls’ Glee Club.
Following high school graduation, Betty worked as a dental assistant for three years. Betty married Emery Brandt on September 4, 1948, and they were happily married for 63 beautiful years, having lived in Lakefield, Minnesota, and Spirit Lake, Iowa, before finding their way back home to Lake Park, Iowa, where they raised their family and operated a dry cleaning business for 20 years. After selling their dry cleaning business, Betty worked at Lake Park Nursing Home for 20 years as a housekeeper.
Betty devoted her life to her family and her faith, raising her three children with love and kindness. Betty was an active member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park, Iowa, and was a member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (Ladies Guild) for many years. For 40 years, Betty was proud to be a devoted member of the Lake Park American Legion Auxiliary where she sold red poppies each May to honor veterans along with other Auxiliary activities. Betty is fondly remembered as being very friendly and social as she never met a stranger.
Bowling was also a passion for Betty and Emery as they participated in a couples bowling league for many years. They enjoyed playing bridge and the 500 card game with several other couples each month. They also had a huge garden and Betty immersed herself annually in the skilled art of canning the fruits of their garden. The family has fond memories of seeing the Ball jars come out of storage knowing that they would look forward to their favorites of green beans, tomatoes, and dill pickles being served at dinner throughout the year.
Betty and Emery took joy in their summer weekend camping adventures at Okoboji, along with annual family vacations at national parks in western United States. In their retirement, they took several bus tours to Door County, East Coast Fall foliage, Branson, Missouri, and the Covered Bridges of Madison County. Rounding out their travels, they traveled internationally to England and Sweden on two different vacations. They explored Betty’s Swedish heritage with trips to visit her ancestors; hometowns and stayed with distant cousins. Betty and Emery also toured the countryside, visited museums, went sightseeing with their relatives.
Stamp and coin collecting were some of Betty’s favorite hobbies, along with completing countless jigsaw puzzles. It wasn’t unusual to find Betty still up at midnight working to finish a jigsaw puzzle! After their children graduated from Harris-Lake Park High School, Betty and Emery remained devoted Lake Park Wolves fans and continued to attend and support the teams.
The family extends their appreciation and thanks for the compassionate care from the devoted staff members at Accura Nursing Home in Spirit Lake, Iowa, where Betty resided her last eight years of her life.
Betty is survived by her children, Kevin (Mary Jo) Brandt of Eagan, MN, and Kathleen Brandt-Vasa of Sioux Falls, SD; four cherished grandchildren: Jordan (Macey) Brandt of New Richmond, WI; Bronson (Alex) Vasa of Sioux Falls, SD; Devin Vasa of Sioux Falls, SD, and Emma Vasa of Minneapolis, MN; and one great-granddaughter, Montgomery Jo Brandt. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and their families.
She was predeceased by her loving husband Emery of 63 years. Betty was also the cherished daughter of the late Edward and Agda Hackbarth and beloved mother to the late Douglas Brandt.
Visitation will be at 1:00pm at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park, Iowa, on Monday, July 27, 2026, with the family present. The memorial service will follow visitation beginning at 2:00pm to celebrate Betty and her life well-lived, with burial at Silver Lake Cemetery. Following the burial, family and friends are invited to gather for a reception at the Lake Park Community Center to reminisce and to share memories of Betty’s life. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Betty’s memory to the Lake Park Heritage Square Museum (22 Railroad Ave. W, Lake Park, IA 51347).
Arrangements are under the care of Turner Jenness Funeral Home.
