Funeral Services for Geraldine Elizabeth “Betty” Waltman of Chadron, Nebraska will be held Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 10:00 AM at Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron, Nebraska. Burial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Chadron, Nebraska.
On December 26, 2021 the Good Lord called our sweet Mother, Betty home to join Daddy.
Geraldine Elizabeth (Betty) (Haskell) Waltman was born July 14, 1929 at the home ranch in Cherry County, Nebraska. She was the youngest of six children born to Charles and Florence (Westover) Haskell. Growing up on the ranch in Brown County as a teenager, she stacked hay with a team of horses. When she was in high school, she stayed with her sister-in-law in Chadron, Nebraska where she met the love of her life, Frank Elmer (Bus) Waltman. To that union four children were born: Kay Merrill, Riley (Dee) Waltman, Christie (Andy) Dickinson, and Delinda Royse.
As newlyweds they worked on ranches where Betty cooked for the ranch crews. When Bus went to work for the Forest Service, Betty taught at the rural Strand School, driving 40 miles each way on a country road. In 1965, Bus and Betty moved the family to Chadron. In Chadron, Betty went back to school and received her Bachelor of Library Science Degree and became the Head Librarian at the Chadron Public Library.
Betty was devoted to and loved Bus and her family unconditionally. Her favorite memoires were of going to Country Dances, playing cards with neighbors in the Sandhills, and going to rodeos with her children.
Betty is lovingly remembered and survived by children Kay, Riley, Christie, and Delinda. Grandchildren: Melanie (Boone) Herring, Sid Merrill, Razen (Kali) Merrill, Jace (Monica) Waltman, Jackie (Josh) Krejci, Jody (Kelly) Elverum, Trisha (Josh) Clevenger; seventeen great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Betty is preceded in death by her husband Bus, her parents, her in-laws, her five siblings, and their spouses, her son-in-law Larry Merrill, granddaughters Tiffany Royse, and Teran Dickinson, and Maggie Krejci.
A memorial has been established for the Ronald McDonald House and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain Chapel, Po Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainchapel.com