Elmwood Cemetery

Woodward, Woodward County, Oklahoma

© Billings Funeral Home Woodward
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Wiepert Steenbergen

June 13, 1933 ~ November 13, 2024

Betty Steenbergen, 91 year old Woodward resident, passed away, November 13, 2024 at Vici. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Wednesday, November20, 2024 at the First Methodist Church of Woodward. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Billings Funeral Home.

Elizabeth Ann Wiepert was born on June 13, 1933 to her parents, Dale August and Laura Veronica Wiepert in Buffalo, New York. She was a beautiful child and was even chosen as a regional Gerber baby model in a contest sponsored by an area pharmacy. Her childhood adventures included sneaking through an upstairs window into her beloved cherry tree with her brother and hero Kenny. It was one of her many childhood adventures, which included: ice skating nearby, where one day her brother was dramatically rescued by a man jumping off the bridge into the frozen waters. Later Betty caught Scarlet Fever, which developed into Rheumatic Fever, and over a year in the hospital.

Betty would finish growing up in bustling sunny California after her family moved by train when Betty was 12.

In California Betty's adventures continued with backyard lemon trees, and going to the nearby beach. Later as a teen, she began modeling and then acting at Chafey College which for some productions partnered with the Pasadena Playhouse. By now her brother Kenny was preparing for his first deployment at the nearby military base so along with her parents and fellow performers, Betty became involved in various events to support the soldiers, and met her future husband. A lifeguard now, she helped the cowboy adapt to swimming in the ocean, and life in California. They were both great dancers and along with her brother and sister in law Joan, they enjoyed their salad days until Kenny's first deployment. After getting married, Jim and Betty were stationed in Alabama where Betty delighted in using whichever water fountain was closest.

As Jim finished his degree at OSU, Betty typed and edited many animal science papers while learning to raise chickens. When the young family moved to Fort Supply for Jim to teach, Betty quickly made lifelong friends with whom she exchanged fruit recipes for chicken fried steak tips. They eventually settled at a farm near Woodward where they remained until Jim's death in November of 2023.

For many years, Betty joined her husband Jim in serving God and their NWOK community.

Betty served as a gray lady at Fort Supply hospital when it was a mental health facility.

She taught hundreds of children to swim, led 4H Club, coached FFA speech contestants, and taught Sunday School.

She loved WMU and organized fashion shows, luncheons and more to support missionaries around the world. Betty brought a little California style to all that she did.

Throughout the years and even into their sixties, when Jim pastored and Betty served as the secretary at Crown Heights Baptist Church, she and Jim worked with hundreds of young people, teaching them to serve the Lord and their communities.

Betty will be missed by lifelong friends and family including her 3 children, 5 grandchildren and two great grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews, and new friends during her time of home health care and finally skilled nursing where she still enjoyed going outside to soak up sun and eating fresh fruit every day possible.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Methodist Church Community Dinner with the funeral home accepting contributions.

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