Betty Oelfke

Betty Oelfke, age 88, of Arlington, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, January 22, 2024 following a very brief battle with cancer. Visitation will be held 4-7p.m. on Thursday, January 25th  at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hamburg, MN.  Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday the 26th  at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hamburg, MN, with visitation 1 hour prior to the funeral. Vicar Todd Bentz will officiate. Interment will follow service at the church cemetery. Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.

Betty Marie Oelfke was born in rural Plato, Minnesota on June 25, 1935 to Herbert and Clara (Machemehl) Dammann. She was baptized on June 30, 1935 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hamburg, MN. She confirmed her Lutheran faith on April 10, 1949, also at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hamburg, MN. Betty’s confirmation verse was 1 John 5:4. Betty attended Emanuel Lutheran School through grade 8.  She was a 1953 graduate of Glencoe High School.

On January 24, 1954, Betty married Harold F. Oelfke at Emanuel Lutheran Church. Betty and Harold lived in Hamburg for one year after their marriage, then moved to Waconia by Goose Lake where they lived for the next six years before moving back to the home farm in rural Hamburg. They lived there until 1979 when they moved to Arlington.

Betty was a lifelong, faithful member of Emanuel Lutheran Church. She was a member of the Emanuel Ladies’ Aid / LWML until the group dissolved a few years ago.  Betty attended Bible Study regularly, sang in the Emanuel Choir, and helped sew and tie World Relief quilts.  She enjoyed playing piano, listening to music, playing golf, playing cards, square dancing, fishing, traveling with Harold, and spending time with her family and friends.  Betty sewed many quilts for her family over the years, making sure each child, grandchild and great-grandchild had a quilt from Grandma Betty.

Betty is survived by her children; Wayne (Joyce) Oelfke of Shorewood, Douglas (Carol) Oelfke of Osakis, Brian (Kathleen) Oelfke of Hamburg and Gail (Robert) Thomes of Arlington; Grandchildren; Shannon (Joe) Aurich, Dana Cavanaugh, Brenna (Steve) Kruger, Adam (Amy) Oelfke, Angela (Ryan) Mesenbring, Aaron Oelfke, Sarah (Justin) McDunn, Kelli Oelfke (special friend Dan Ganser), Nina Hammer (fiancé Trent Grabau), Jamie (Kirby) Weckworth, Ashley (Max) Eckberg, Jordan (JC) DeWitte; Step-grandchildren; Shannon Reilly (Jesse) Degerstrom and Brendan (Sara) Reilly; Great-grandchildren: Whytnee (Brian) Citarella, Kiya (special friend: Nordell Brooks), Seth and Jonah Aurich, John Wayne and Luella Cavanaugh, Harrison Kruger, Halden and Henry Oelfke, Kayla and Dylan Mesenbring, Ariah, Lia and Nolan Oelfke, Ashton and Colton Kluseman, Maisy, Elsie and Brooks Weckworth, Ava and Ames Eckberg, Lyla and Colette DeWitte; Step-great-grandchildren: Rylie (special friend Mac Storlie), and Sydney Kreger, Avery (fiancé Parker Slotve), Levi (special friend Audrey Storlie), and Anna Degerstrom, Marissa (special friend Tanner Mathews), Ben, Jenna and Owen Reilly; Sister: Muriel (Loren) Zieroth of Waconia; Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law: Virginia (Ruben) Ernst of Glencoe; many other relatives and friends.

Betty is preceded in death by her Husband: Harold F. Oelfke; Parents: Herbert and Clara Dammann; Parents-in-law: Herbert and Frieda Oelfke; Brothers and Sister-in-law: Harold and Agnes Dammann, Loren Dammann; Sisters and Brothers-in-law: Verona and Arthur Bussmann, Ruth and Ruben Kruschke, Herman Schmidt; Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law: Shirley and Melvin Kroells.