Andersen, Betty Lou

Betty Lou Andersen, 74, of Cedar Rapids, died Friday, May 25, 2012, in her home. Funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 2, at First Church of the Open Bible, 1911 E. Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include two children: daughter, Patricia (Jeff) Jurgensen of Rapid City, S.D.; grandchildren, Chad Phillippe of Cedar Rapids (great-grandchildren, Brennan, 5, and Tanner, 2) and Amy Leggett (Eric) of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and son, Wayne Andersen (Theresa) of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Adam Andersen (Shay), (great-grandchildren, Austin, 6, and Addysen, 1 ½ months) and Brad Andersen (Heather) (great-grandchildren, Logan, 7, and Hunter, 1); and seven siblings, Velma Vogel (Marty, deceased) of Ambler, Pa., Darlene Reyna (Mike) of Slater, Mo., Dale Simmons (Bonnie), Wesley Simmons (Jackie) and Kathy Hoffman (Jim), all of Cedar Rapids, Frieda Troendle (Dave) of Mount Vernon and Linda Hedlund (Fred) of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her father, Walter M. Simmons; mother, Odette Simmons in 1991; uncle, Wayne Claude; granddaughter, Stephanie Marie Jurgensen in 1982; and great-nieces, Ashley Spersflage and MacKenzie Jacobs.

Betty Lou Simmons was born July 26 1937, in Clarion, Iowa, to Odette and Walter Simmons, and graduated from Rowan High School in 1955. She moved to Cedar Rapids and married Howard Andersen there on Nov. 29, 1958. She worked at Morris Sanford and the Cedar Rapids Board of Education day care system as a substitute and volunteered at the Clothes Hanger affiliated with St. Mark's United Methodist Church.

She loved to visit with many friends over breakfast and coffee. Special friends included Mary, Effie, Linda, Jenny and Pat Simmons and her girls and many too numerous to mention who touched her life.

Published June 1, 2012 in The Gazette