Bette A. Brown

Bette A. (Robbins) Brown, 81, Wedgewood Care Center, Grand Island, NE passed into her heavenly home early Thursday morning at CHI St Francis Skilled Care Facility, Grand Island, NE.

Services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at the Apfel Funeral Home, Grand Island with the Rev. Gene Arnold officiating. Private family interment will be at the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Hastings, NE. Visitation will be Monday, January 19, 2015 with family receiving friends from 4 7 pm at the Apfel Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the family.

Mrs. Brown was born on May 25, 1933, in Natick, Massachusetts, the daughter of Chester T. and Alta B. (Cochrane) Robbins. She was educated in Oak Grove Elementary School from 1939-1943 at which time the family moved to Hastings, Nebraska. She then attended Longfellow Elementary School, Hastings Junior and Senior High Schools, and Hastings College until May of 1955.

She was united in marriage to Darrell F. Brown on July 27, 1955. After which the couple moved to Lincoln, NE where she was employed at Nebraska Wesleyan University as Assistant to the Registrar. She has also worked at St Francis Medical Center as secretary to the Vice President for Finance, Kruse & Happold CPAs, Art Kraft and more recently at Apfel Funeral Home as pre-arrangement secretary.

She was a member of the Abundant Life Christian Center. She had been active in the Wasmer Elementary School PTA while her children attended school there; was a 4-H Leader, volunteered at Lutheran Memorial Hospital, St Francis Hospital, and the Crisis Center. Bette passionately lived out her love of music thru her enthusiastic participation in the Red Hat Society.undying joy to so many. She loved good books and music, playing the piano, knitting, sewing and tending her flowers.

ABOVE ALL, SHE CHERISHED THE MOMENTS WITH HER CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN!

Survivors include: One son and daughter-in-law, Randall and Dinah Brown, Carlsbad, CA; four daughters and their spouses, Lizabeth and Mark Stecker, Lynne and Joel Smith all from Grand Island, NE, Laurie Janovec and Leigh Valencia from Omaha, NE. Grandchildren: Eric Blessing, Kim Hawke, Stephanie and Carmel Martinez, Melissa Magnuson, Mollie Magnuson and her fianc, Shane Leisinger, Stephen Magnuson, Bill Meier, Roni and Corporal Ryan Opeka (Carlsbad P.D.), Randi and Sgt.(USMC) Addison Evans, , Lindsay Arent and Captain (USAF) Tyler and Molly Stecker. She had fifteen great-grandchildren. Bette had one sister, Nancy Rodgers, Grand Island and three nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one granddaughter, Angela Valencia.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.apfelfuneralhome.com