March 6, 1924 – April 27, 2023

Betty Hovde, age 99 of Glenwood Springs, CO, passed away on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at Heritage Care Center in Carbondale, CO after a brief illness. Born Betty Jane Fenell on March 6, 1924, to Clifford and Florence Fenell, in Valley City, North Dakota. She graduated in three and ½ years from Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended Valley City Teachers College, Valley City, ND, obtaining her three-year teachers’ certificate. Later while living in Deerfield, IL, she took classes to complete her four-year college degree in education at Roosevelt University, in Chicago, IL.
Betty was a 1st grade teacher in various cities throughout her career, including Lisbon, ND; Northfield, MN; Richfield, MN; Excelsior, MN; as well as Deerfield, IL due to her husband Roger’s career moves. Betty was a kind and patient teacher and loved watching her students blossom throughout the school year.
Growing up she played the French horn, competed as a speed skater in races on the lakes in Minneapolis. Betty was one of the first Aquatennial queen of the lake’s candidates in 1943. She was a “Rosie the Riveter” in Long Beach, CA with her soon to be sister-in-law, Jeanie Fenell. They were building B-17 bombers during WWII. While working in Long Beach, she had fond memories of having dinner at the Biltmore Hotel and going to dances and seeing big bands play at the Hollywood Palladium.
She was an avid bridge player, golfer, and tennis player. She was a skilled seamstress, sewing many of her daughters’ and granddaughters’ clothes as they grew up, including daughter Karen’s wedding dress.
Betty met her future husband, Roger Hovde, on the golf course. They married in 1950, in Minneapolis, MN. Roger’s career took them to multiple locations during their marriage, Minneapolis, MN; St. Louis, MO; back to Excelsior, MN; Horsham, PA; Deerfield, IL, and once Roger retired, they moved to Carlsbad, CA. After Roger’s passing in 1982, Betty moved to Vista, CA, then Riverside, CA and finally moved to Glenwood Springs, CO to be closer to her daughter, Barb and family.
Betty is survived by her daughters: Karen (Gordy) Bartholomew, Madison, WI and Barb (Lindsay) Hovde-Brown (Glenwood Springs, CO); grandchildren Anne Marie (Josh) Leszczynski; Ali (Ben) Luck, Garrett, and Jenna Brown; and great granddaughters Lucy and Lottie Leszczynski, and Nina Luck. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Roger, daughter Becky Hovde-Baker, brother Clifford L Fenell Jr. as well as Cliff’s wife Jeanie, Betty’s best friend. A memorial service will take place this summer in Minneapolis, MN.