Betty Vagle

January 11, 1925 - September 23, 2015

Betty Vagle, 89, of Redwood Falls died Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at Parkview Home in Belview. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, from Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls with burial to follow in the Redwood Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2015, from 4 until 7 p.m., at Nelson-Hillestad Funeral Home in Redwood Falls and will continue on Monday at the church from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. Arrangements are with Nelson-Hillestad Funeral Service of Redwood Falls. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelson-hillestad.com. Betty Vagle was born Dec. 11, 1925, in Middletown Township, Jackson County, Minnesota, to George and Esther (Fisher) Grantz. She graduated from Jackson High School in 1944 and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to work at B.W. Supercharger, building equipment for the World War II effort. On July 14, 1945, she married Harold Vagle at the Lutheran parsonage in Fairmont, Minn. In 1946, the couple moved from Estherville, Iowa, to the Walnut Grove area, farming in the Lucan and Walnut Grove areas until 1969, when they moved to Redwood Falls. Betty was employed by Control Data Corp. in Redwood Falls, and later by Our Own Hardware (also known as OK Hardware and Trustworthy Hardware), Brix Drug and Ron’s Hallmark in Redwood Falls. From 1992-2004, she was a tour director for R&J Tours of Willmar, traveling to the dozens of U.S. states including Alaska, and to Canada, Panama, the Caribbean islands and Norway during her tenure. Betty was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and a past member of the church’s quilting group and funeral committee, a member and past president of the Redwood Falls VFW Auxiliary, hospital and American Red Cross bloodmobile volunteer, and early participant of Redwood Falls Al-Anon family group. In her spare time Betty enjoyed quilting, playing cards, solving puzzles and word games, and bird watching. Betty is survived by her children and their spouses Douglas and Elaine Vagle and Ron and Kim Vagle of Redwood Falls, Rene and Steve Kaluza of Sauk Rapids, Jolene and Craig Kotval of Eagan, Leann and Gene Sawatzky of St. Louis Park, and son-in-law, Robert Williams of Russell; grandchildren, Krista Johansen, Chad Williams, Kari Beth Kidman, Jason Vagle, Steve Johnson, Adam Kaluza, Kate Kaluza, Derek Kotval, Lacey Jo Sandquist, Jared Sawatzky, Megan Sawatzky, Jessica Haas, Jackie Vagle, Jenna Vagle; and great-grandchildren, Taylor and Jordan Johansen, Rhett Kidman, Mason Williams, Dalton and Christian Muecke, Heather and Cody Johnson, Madison Vagle, Maverick and Capri Kotval, Evelyn Jo Sandquist, Andrew and Brady Haas. Survivors also include sister-in-law Beverly Grantz of Jackson, and brother-in-law Milton Matasovsky of Lakefield, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1989; daughter Barbara Williams; granddaughter, Danielle Kotval; parents George and Esther Grantz; brothers Gerald, Lee, Art and Harvey Grantz; and sister, Elaine Matasovsky. Blessed be her memory.