Betty Lucille (Becker) Stamp, 89

 Betty Lucille Becker was born to Herbert William Becker and Esther Amelia (Davis) Becker on July 6, 1933 in Melrose, Iowa. Betty lived in Melrose, Iowa until 1945 then moved to her grandparents ( Raymond & Maude Davis) 2 1/2 miles northeast of Persia.  Two years later in 1947 the family moved to the Petersen farm 3 ½ miles north east of Persia on the Harrison - Shelby county line. Then again in March of 1948 the family moved to the Jim Cooper farm 1 mile west of Tennant, Iowa.
In 1951 Betty graduated from Tenant High School and in June attended Commercial Extension Business School in Omaha. After graduating in spring of 1952 she started working for Fairbanks Morris later Beacon Van Storage. On May 22, 1953 she married John Ferdinand Bauer Stamp at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan, Iowa.
After the getting married Betty moved with John to naval apartments in National City, California, when  John was sent overseas in August of 1953 Betty then moved back to Tenant to live with her parents. John got home in time for Jack’s birth on February 13, 1954. Betty and Jack stayed with her parents until John discharge in August of 1954.  From Tenant the family moved to an apartment in Persia and then in March of 1955 moved the Diggle farm southwest of Persia. Dave was born December 12,1955 and on February 1956 the family moved to the Harry Stamp farm east of Persia where eventually Jack and Kris made their residence. Kurt was born on September 23,1958 and during that time John and Betty farmed while John worked night at the missile base between Beebeetown and Missouri Valley Iowa. In February 1962 they moved to their current farm 3 ½ miles south of Persia. John passed away on April 24,2016 and Betty joined John January 31,2023. Betty was  all in everything she set her mind to: as a farmer, as a wife, as a mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. Betty seen all of her children and grandchildren married and 22 grandchildren born.
Betty was a true family farm partner to John and did every job on the farm including livestock chores, running, weeding crews, walking beans, the only exceptions were planting the fields and running the combine. An example was in 2013 she came out of retirement to help Kurt and Caroline run the grain cart at the age of 80 as they harvested south of Emerson, Iowa.  She always pitched in helping her sons and daughter-in-laws fix up old homes multiple times and after a lot of sweat and effort stripping wallpaper, painting, varnishing, making curtains for the houses turning them into homes that always looks amazing. She was passionate about gardening, canning, cooking and over the years with the help of her sons, collected a huge amount of rocks off of the farm and built a very large rock garden with all kinds of flowers and shrubs. When the old grove had outlived its usefulness, she planted a large windbreak and nursed it through many dry years only to lose the windbreak to tree diseases.
In addition to all of the farming and family activities Betty was the  township clerk for many years, Member of Trinity Lutheran Church and helped with all of the children activities, Sunday school and Summer Vacation Bible School, Church dinners and funerals.  Betty was a cub scout leader while her boys were growing up. She and John were passionate about the Persia community and were heavily involved in making it a great place to be from and to grow up. In 1983 Betty was the chair person for the Persia Centennial and it was a great success with air balloon rides. Betty and John committed a lifetime to the community baseball program helping to secure land for a new ball park, building, running concessions and John coached for over 25 years. Here is the quote Betty often recited that really expresses who Betty was and what she aspired to  “ Once a task has just begun never leave it ‘ til its done. Be the labor great or small do it well or not at all!” This Quote was passed on from her father Herb down to her children and grandchildren it as a way of life and will remind us as long as we live to and are stewards of the farm to keep all of the little things done including the weeds cut and trees off the terraces and the rocks picked up.
Betty Stamp passed away on January 31, 2023 at Myrtue Medical Center attaining the age of 89 years, 6 months, and 25 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Esther Becker; husband, John Stamp and son, Jack Stamp.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Kristine Stamp (the late Jack) children David (Jean) Stamp and Kurt (Caroline) Stamp; siblings, Bob (Paula) Becker and Karean (Hal) Madsen; 8 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; many other family members and friends.
Betty you will be missed and you may now rest for your work is truly done and now it your families responsibility to get the work done and done well. We all Love you  and thank you for a job well done!
An 11:00 AM Funeral Service was officiated by Rev. Merlene Ostobee on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Persia, Iowa. Lynn Stamp, Joel Stamp, Mike Stamp, Luke Stamp, Ted Duitsman, and Jeremy Fedde served as pallbearers. A burial was held at Valley View Cemetery in Persia, Iowa following the service.
Pauley Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.