Betty Lou Nyenhuis

Betty Lou (Boggs) Nyenhuis, 99 (50 days shy of age 100) of Warsaw, Indiana, passed away peacefully holding the hands of her children as she passed into the hands of her Lord. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 1, 1923, to Harry Weber Boggs and Helen (Dale) Boggs. Her parents and siblings (sister, Nancy Boggs Shoemaker, and brother, Harry (“Jim”) Boggs) moved to a farm south of Warsaw in Kosciusko County in 1937. She graduated from Claypool High School and then completed her education at Manchester College in North Manchester.

She was united in marriage to Henry H. (“Hank”) Nyenhuis on December 15, 1945, in Warsaw. He predeceased her on November 15, 1986.

During World War II, she worked as a judge’s assistant in the Kosciusko County Courthouse, and eventually joined the family business.

Hank started and managed a successful business, “Warsaw Dry Cleaners and Shirt Laundry” in Warsaw. Betty assisted in all tasks there all while raising her three children. She was highly successful balancing her work and family obligations. She had a life- long dedication to music. Indeed, all of her three children have repeatedly asked “How did Mom manage to do all that she did?” She was a “mother’s mother.”

Betty and her family lived on Winona Lake. She was the last survivor of the original Willow Lane homeowners. And Betty’s yard has the last surviving willow tree on Willow Lane. Everything “lake” consumed her life.

Betty was an 87 year member of the First United Methodist Church of Warsaw and sang in the church choir for many years as well as the Kosciusko County Extension chorus. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Always active in the community, she was a fundraiser for several organizations. She was featured in the “Meet Your Neighbors” column in the July 2018 edition of the At Home on Winona magazine in an article entitled “Celebrating 95 Years with Betty Nyenhuis!” Although she contributed so much to many organizations for so long she said she thinks she will be remembered as the lady who walked two to three miles every day. Indeed, her 35 year jaunts helped her to stay in good health.Her family is at peace knowing she is in the hands of the Lord.

Betty is survived by her three children – son Jim (wife Kim) of Fort Collins, Colorado; daughter Ruth Ann Nyenhuis Barrett (husband Scott Barrett) of Bloomington, Indiana; daughter Kay Ellen Ritter (husband James Ritter, deceased 2018) of Warsaw; five grandchildren – Jesse Ritter of Loveland, Colorado; Chris Ritter (wife Lauren) of Nashville, Tennessee; Riley Nyenhuis (fiancée Alyssa Cobos) of Fort Collins; Brooke Nyenhuis Hansen (husband Chris Hansen) of Fort Collins; John Nyenhuis, of Fort Collins; great-granddaughter Charlie Belle Hansen, age 1, of Fort Collins; sister–in-law Joyce Boggs (widow of Betty’s brother, Harry (“Jim”) Boggs).

Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 179 South Indiana Street, Warsaw, Indiana, on Saturday, May 20, 2023 with visitation from 11a.m.-noon followed immediately by a funeral service. Burial will take place at the Oakwood Cemetery, 421 North Maple Avenue in Warsaw, Indiana.

Memorials to First United Methodist Church Music Ministry or Organ Renovation.

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