La Rae Heller

Visitation

Friday, March 3, 2006, After 3:00PM

Ohde Funeral Home, Manning

Funeral

Saturday, March 4, 2006, 11:00 AM

United Methodist Church, Manning

LaRae, the youngest child of Earl and Mabel (Crouch) Weems, was born June 1, 1934, on a farm near Botna in Jefferson Township, Shelby County, Iowa. She attended country school at Jefferson Township #6 and #7 through the first semester of eighth grade when her family moved into Manning due to her fathers failing health. In 1946 she completed eighth grade in Manning and went on to graduate from Manning High School in 1951. After completing her schooling, she worked at Priebe & Sons Produce in Manning for two years. In 1953, LaRae left Manning and married Warren Farrell, a marriage that was later dissolved. She worked several places before her marriage to Warren Sniff at Carroll. They divorced in 1964 and later that year she and Charles Betterton were united in marriage. They moved many times wherever his truck driving jobs would take them. In 1968, LaRae and the children moved back to Manning. She worked at Saunders Steak House and later for Sallys Furniture in Denison. She and the children moved to Denison in 1970. In November of 1970, LaRae was united in marriage with Richard Heller. They lived in and around Denison for ten years where LaRae held various jobs. In 1983 they moved to Sac City so Dick could go fishing. He died in 1983 of congestive heart failure. In June of 1984 LaRae and her three boys moved back to Manning so she could be closer to her mother and family. She worked various places in Manning including the Manning Senior Center where she was a cook and then the Site Manager. LaRae enjoyed her volunteer work at the Senior Center and was secretary-treasurer of Manning Community Services for 6 years. LaRaes many volunteer hours at the Senior Center earned her the Governors Volunteer Award in 1997. LaRae was a member of the United Methodist Church where she served 13 years as secretary. She was a member of the United Methodist Women and was active on other committees as well. She was also a member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary where she was elected president several times. In 1998 LaRae suffered a massive heart attack and her health was quite fragile since that time. She died on Tuesday, February 28, 2006, at Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines, Iowa. She was 71 years, 8 months and 27 days of age. Preceding LaRae in death are her parents; husband Richard Heller; three grandchildren Jeremy Short, Cody Heller, and Joshua Heller; sister Evelyn and husband Jack Borkowski; brother Bud Weems and wife Norma; and brothers-in-law George Wegner and Dale Christensen. She is survived by 9 children: Kaelyn and husband Ralph Guerra of Carroll; Darwin Betterton and wife Sue of Nampa, ID; Paula Brinegar of Centerville; Gayla and husband Declan Gross of Earling; Sheila and husband Mike Smith of Ft. Dodge; Shawn Bryant and fiance Roy Wells of Sioux Falls, SD; Darcy Betterton and friend Dana Vonnahme of Pekin, IL; Darrin Heller of Council Bluffs; and Jason Heller and friend Jolene Halligan of Ft. Dodge; 2 step-sons Mike Heller of Council Bluffs and Kurt Heller of Colorado Springs, CO; 17 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters: Opal Christensen of Humboldt; Leona and husband Lewis Hemminger of Elk Horn; and Lois Wegner of Manning; other relatives and friends.