Bettelou Darrington

Bette Darrington, of Montevideo, died on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at Johnson Memorial Nursing Home in Dawson at the age of 81.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 1:30 PM at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Montevideo with Rev. Donald S. McKee officiating.  Burial will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.  

Visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on the day of the service.

Bettelou (Holien) Darrington was born in Montevideo on August 24, 1936 to G. Kenneth and Pearl (Knutsen) Holien.  She was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.  She attended Montevideo schools and graduated in 1954.  Bette was united in marriage to Micheal Darrington on February 23, 1957.  While Micheal was in the Navy, Bette lived in many places, including Illinois, California, Hawaii, and Guam.   They had three children together: Wayne, Scott, and Cindy.  In 1972, the family permanently relocated to Montevideo where they would remain and raise their family.  Bette started working for the school district in food service in 1976 as a dish washer.  She later became a head cook until she retired in 1998.  Most of her working days were spent at Sanford and Sibley, and Bette was extremely fond of all the teachers and children that she encountered while working there.

Bette was a life-long member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and was active in church circle as well as serving group for funerals and special events.  She enjoyed reading, baking, cooking and playing bingo.  She loved getting together with friends in the neighborhood to visit and share stories about children and family life.  Any visitor to Bette’s house was greeted with warm hospitality and her complete attention. Family recalls she had a great sense of humor and joyfully anticipated the next family reunion.  To all of Bette’s family, she was known as “Snookie” for her entire life.  

Bette is survived by her children: Wayne (Terry) Darrington, Gates, NC, Scott (Karen) Darrington, Dawson, MN, Cindy (Doug) Ottinger, Carver, MN; two grandchildren: Mackenzie (Brian) Good and Mitchell Ottinger;  siblings: Terry Holien, Montevideo, Ardyce Johnson, Montevideo, Maxine Holien, Bloomington, and Kenneth (Betty) Holien, Burnsville; as well as nieces, nephews and other extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Micheal in 2015, and a brother-in-law, Burdell Johnson.