Betty Jane Messer

Betty Jane Messer, 101 of Wayland, died Friday, January 10, 2025, at the Parkview Home in Wayland. Funeral Services have been set for 11:00 AM, Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington with Pastor Gerard Muller officiating. The service will be available via Livestream at the Beatty Peterseim Facebook and YouTube pages. Following a time of fellowship at the funeral home the burial will be held at the Cottonwood Cemetery near Wayland. An Eastern Star service will be held at 9 AM, prior to visitation which will be from 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM Saturday, at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington. Memorials may be designated to the Cottonwood Cemetery.

Betty was born June 22, 1923, south of Trenton, Iowa the daughter of Mark and Nellie (Klopfenstein) Brewster. She graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School. On March 4, 1942, Betty was united in marriage to Perl Messer in Trenton, IA. The couple farmed near Merrimac, Richland and Coppock where Betty could be found on the tractor, or milking cows, filling every position on the farm except running the planter and the combine. She was a member of the Cottonwood United Methodist Church, Order of the Eastern Star and the Wayland Widows Club. Betty was the driver for many of her friends, taking them to appointments and various other places. She loved to mow and tend to her garden and flowers, always making sure her yard and house looked good. After moving off the farm Betty worked at the Mustang Market in Olds, IA.

Survivors include three sons: Dan Messer (Terry Kirk) of Washington, Gary (Lori) Messer of Wayland, Gene (Darla) Messer of Wayland; daughter-in-law Linda Messer of Wayland, nine grandchildren: Roni, Jodi, Marc, Tony, Stephanie, Natalie, Amanda, Jessica, and Nikki, 19 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Preceding Betty in death were her parents, her husband Perl, her son Laverne, brother Warren Brewster and sister Faye Mills.