Betty Piepel

Betty Piepel, 90, died on her husband John’s birthday, Mar. 6th at the Westview Care Center in Indianola.  

Betty was born August 29,1923, to Dan and Fanny Burnell Walker in Jamaica. She graduated from Jamaica High School with eight other classmates in 1941. She then attended Dowling Catholic College in Des Moines for one year. She married John Piepel, a farmer from Bristol Township, April 27, 1943, in Jamaica. They enjoyed sixty two years of marriage until John’s death in 2005. In April 1944 their son, Jack, was born. Then came Rebecca in 1946, Beverly in 1947, Mike in 1952, and Peggy in 1957. As the children grew older Betty started working in the lunch program at Jefferson High School. She also volunteered as a Pink Lady at the Greene County Hospital, worked the call line for Iowa Public Television and did surveys for The Des Moines Register. She was active in Catholic Daughters and was a member for seventy years of St. Joseph Parish.

Betty and John remained on the family farm for thirty two years and then in 1975, they built their home in Jefferson. They continued the farming operation until retiring in 2001.   She had resided there for the past two years and last August had celebrated her ninetieth birthday in Indianola with a very lively party of family, friends, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Survivors include daughters Rebecca Sisca of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Peggy Stevens (Rick) of Indianola; her two sons, Jack Piepel (Ann) of Afton, Minnesota, and Mike Piepel (Dianne) of Jefferson. There are 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Rowena Miller of Westcliffe, Colorado. Preceding her in death were her parents Dan and Fanny Walker, her daughter Beverly, her husband John and her son in law, Ronald Sisca.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated Apr. 26 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. followed by the Mass at 11 a.m.

Memorials are suggested to Interact, 906 So. Elm St., in Jefferson, the Jefferson Library and St. Joseph Indian School, 1301 No. Main St., Chamberlain, S.D. 57325. Betty had requested there be no flowers.