Betty Jane Schirmer

Betty Jane Schirmer, 90 of Hastings formerly of Kenesaw, went to be with her Lord, Thursday, April 26, 2018.



A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 8th, 2018 at 10:30 am at St. Pauls Lutheran Church, Kenesaw with Rev. Paul Duffy and Rev. Greg Volzke officiating. There will be no visitation as her wishes were to donate her body to medical science. Burial will be at a later date. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.apfelfuneralhome.com. Apfel Funeral Home, Kenesaw is in care of the family.



Memorials may be given to St. Pauls Lutheran Youth Group or Christ Lutheran School.



Betty was born June 7, 1927 to Lloyd Henry and Lillian Fay (Hafer) Lehmkuhl in Lodgepole, NE. She attended school through the 12th grade in Lodgepole, graduating in 1945. On August 28, 1946 she married Donald Louis Sprengel who preceded her in death in June 1951 after a farming accident. Three daughters were born of that union, Susan, Becky and Donne. On February 14, 1953 she married Bertram Irwin Schirmer of Chester, IL. Two children blessed this marriage, Laurie and Brent.



Betty attended Colorado Womans College, the University of Nebraska and achieved her Masters Degree in Special Education from the University of Colorado. She taught in most communities where Bert served as Pastor and she loved teaching children to read.



As many know, Betty loved her music and loved to play the upright bass and autoharp while singing to her hearts content. In her later years she entertained at nursing homes and senior centers across Nebraska with her band, Grandmas on the Go.



Betty is preceded in death by her parents and two siblings, Lloyd Don Lehmkuhl and Leila Darlene Markel.



Among those left to cherish her memory are her five children and spouses, Susan Irwin, of Kingston, Ontario, CA, Becky (Kenneth) Ross of Little Rock, AR, Donne (William) Rolfes of Savannah, GA, Laurie (Paul) Schaefffer of Simcoe, Ontario, CA and Brent (Valerie) Schirmer of Kenesaw, 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and many, many extended family and friends.