In Memory of Betty J. Zobel

Betty Zobel, age 57, of Ida Grove, Iowa, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Friday, October 6, 2017 at the Willow Dale Wellness Village, of Battle Creek, Iowa.

A Remembrance Service will be held at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 10, 2017, at the Christensen – Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa.  The Rev. Richard Salcido will lead the service; A private family committal will be held in the Ida Grove Cemetery, of Ida Grove, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at the Christensen –Van Houten Funeral Home, of Ida Grove, Iowa. The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com

Betty Jean (Cooper) Zobel, the first born of three children born to Leo M. and Janice (Schwaller) Cooper, was born on December 1, 1959, in the Horn Memorial Hospital of Ida Grove, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran Faith as a child. Betty attended school where she excelled at academics and enjoyed rooting on her team as a cheerleader. She graduated from Odebolt-Arthur School with the class of 1978.

On December 8, 1979, in the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Ida Grove, Iowa, Betty was united into marriage to Kendall H. Zobel. The couple made their home in Ida Grove and were blessed with two children, Jared and Christie. The couple would later part ways.

Betty enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom and sold Mary Kay before her sister Mary encouraged her to start working at Pamida alongside her. She joined Pamida in May of 1988 after the store had opened in Ida Grove and remained a dedicated employee for 29 years (which is now Shopko Hometown) up until her illness prevented her from working in 2016.

Betty was a wonderful and loving daughter, mother, grandmother, role model and friend. She cherished her family more than anything else and enjoyed every moment spent with them. She loved going thrifting and shopping with her mother Janice, attending her granddaughter (Sophia) and grandson’s (Wyatt) soccer games, swim meets, and other numerous activities.

A faithful member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Ida Grove, Iowa, Betty’s faith in her Lord guided her throughout all seven plus years of diagnosis and treatments with her fight with ovarian cancer. She will be remembered for her warm smile, compassion, dedication, and strength. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Left to cherish her memory are her children Jared (Angela) Phillips Zobel of Rapid City, South Dakota and Christie (Joshua) Van Houten of Ida Grove, Iowa; mother Janice Cooper of Ida Grove, Iowa formerly of Odebolt, Iowa; brother Gary Cooper of Houston, Texas; grandchildren Sophia and Wyatt Van Houten of Ida Grove, Iowa; nieces Shayna Cooper of Madison, Wisconsin and Kristen Cooper of Austin, Texas; nephew Joseph Cooper of Houston, Texas; great nephew Trentin and great niece Eleanor; aunts Edith Johnson of Hawesville, Kentucky, Norma (Dick) Larson of Omaha, Nebraska, Donna (Norris) Olsen of Silver Springs, Nevada; and cousins, extended family and friends.

Betty was preceded in death by her father Leo M. Cooper, sister Mary Cooper and niece Chyann Cooper along with many aunts & uncles.