Betty Ane May Jakob

Betty Jakob, of St. Paul, formerly of Grand Island, peacefully entered the kingdom of heaven on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at Wedgewood Care Center, Grand Island.

Services will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Jack Gillam officiating. Burial will be in Grand Island Cemetery, Grand Island. Visitation hours will be 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at the Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date. Apfel Funeral Home is caring for the family.

Betty was born May 21, 1930 in Grand Island, Nebraska the daughter of William & Hulda (Elstermeier) Sorgenfrei. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She received her education in Grand Island, graduating from Grand Island Senior High in 1948.

She and Wally were married April 3, 1949 and had celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary last year. Being the wife of a government employee, Betty moved many times during their early years of marriage, making a home for her family wherever Wallys job took them. In 1961, they came home to Grand Island where the journey had begun. Betty began her permanent employment in 1964 at the YMCA, starting as a secretary and retiring in 1994 as Administrative Assistant. In the early 1960s, she began a life-long passion with the competitive swimming program. This developed into coaching, working with YMCA team, the Grand Island Swim Association, and as an assistant coach for the Grand Island Senior High Swim Team from 1982 until 2001. She received the NSAA Lifetime Service Award in 2001 and was inducted into the Nebraska Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame.

Betty has two daughters, Melanie & Su, who gave her the greatest lights of her life, granddaughter, Kalie & grandson Kasey. She was known as Nammy and was the most loving grandmother they could have ever had. Their memories together will always be cherished and celebrated.

After her retirement from the YMCA, Betty became enthusiastically involved in the local Kiwanas organization, serving as president of a local chapter and then taking on the responsibilities of District President in 1997. In 2011, she and Wally had relocated to Matelyn Retirement Community in St. Paul and were blessed to have made many good friends while living there who remained constant throughout their time at Matelyn.

Betty is survived by her two daughters & sons-in-law, Melanie & Mike Horky of St. Paul and Su & Ken Moffett of Grand Island, a granddaughter, Kalie Horky of St. Paul and a grandson, Kasey Moffett and his wife, Chelsea of Grand Island and most recently the wonderful birth of a great-grandson, Conner Leo Jakob Moffett.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Wally, in May 2014, and a sister, Margaret Jensen.

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