Betty Korzan

Dates

Obituary

Betty Korzan, 82, of Kimball, SD, died Friday, January 13, 2023, at Aurora-Brule Nursing Home in White Lake. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, January 23, at Kimball Protestant Parish in Kimball. Burial will be at Kimball Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, January 22, from 3-5:00 PM at Kimball Protestant Parish. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

A recording of the funeral service may be viewed at: Kimball Protestant Parish | Kimball SD | Facebook

Betty Korzan was born November 12, 1940 to Peter and Neva (Fletcher) Erickson at home in Murdo, SD during the Armistice Day blizzard. The family moved to Bellevue, NE and then back to South Dakota settling in Reliance. Betty graduated from Reliance High School in 1958. After high school, she attended Dakota Wesleyan University graduating in 1960. Betty then taught 4th grade in Chamberlain for two years.

On August 12, 1961, Betty was united in marriage to Gene Korzan in Reliance, SD. Together they lived on a farm west of Kimball where they raised their three daughters. Betty was active on the farm, always helping Gene when needed.

Betty was a gifted musician. She began taking piano lessons at a young age which led her to a lifetime of music. She sang trio music with her two sisters, often wearing matching dresses made by their mother for their performances. Some of their favorite songs to sing were Tennessee Waltz, Sincerely, and May You Always. Betty had perfect pitch, and as a member of DWU’s choir was often relied upon to hum the starting pitch. She began teaching piano lessons in 1975 and through the years welcomed over 150 students into her home. Her greatest joy was sharing her musical talent with her daughters and grandchildren, and she always loved hearing them play. Later in life, she taught K-6 vocal music at Kimball and the Grass Ranch Colony. She was a church organist and pianist in Kimball for over 50 years. Betty touched countless people’s lives through music by teaching, playing for weddings, funerals, Sunday School, church choir, and community and school events.

Betty enjoyed sewing and quilting, making many beautiful quilts for her family. Another interest of Betty’s was genealogy. She spent years researching her ancestry, even traveling to Europe to learn more about her heritage.

Grateful for sharing her life are her three daughters: Kathy (Tom) Wipf of Gravois Mills, MO, Diane (Keith) Weller of Minnetonka, MN, and Lynda (Brian) Price of Mitchell, SD; six grandchildren: Anne (Caleb) Hayden, Sam and Andrew Weller, and Mitchell, Madison, and Ethan Price; siblings: Jody (Roy) Ketel, Karen Lantz, and Bob (Lyla) Erickson; and 10 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Gene in 2021, an infant son, and her parents.

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