Betty Lou Karl

Betty Lou Hartman was born on December 16, 1929, to Mabel and Carl Hartman on a farm near Brewster, Minnesota. She attended school at Chandler, Minnesota, and graduated from high school in 1948.

Betty was united in marriage to Wallace (Wally) Karl on January 14, 1950, in Slayton, Minnesota. The couple lived in Minnesota and then California, where Wally worked at Boeing Aircraft Company. After returning to Minnesota the couple started farming near Dawson, Minnesota. In 1960, they moved to Murray County where Wally worked for the Murray County Highway Department. Betty worked at 3-M in Alexandria, for approximately 18 years.

Betty always enjoyed having a large garden and canning the produce. There was a sense of pride at the dinner when everything on the table was raised and harvested from the farm. She sewed clothes for her girls when they were little and instilled in them the desire to learn sewing for themselves. First, on a Singer treadle machine and later a Singer automatic machine. She also enjoyed reading, cooking, and making sure her children valued an education. There was nothing better than to get home after school and find Mom had made coffee cake, cinnamon rolls, or some other treat. Betty had a sense of humor that would surprise those around her and she never lost it.

In their retirement years Betty and Wally enjoyed snowmobiling, fishing, planting flower gardens, traveling, visiting with family and going out for coffee. Part of their saying goodbye after a visit were the words, “We love you dearly, and don’t you ever forget it!”

Betty entered the Osakis nursing home in March of 2022. On July 15, 2025, she peacefully passed on.

Betty was survived by her children Judy (Karl) Smith, Susan (Karl) Sletto, Patricia (Karl) Maryott, Dell and wife Angela (Tranby) Karl, and David and wife Wendy (Loushin) Karl. She was survived by 10 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great grandchild. Betty was also survived by brother-in-law Calvin Karl, sister-in-law Lois and husband LeRoy Bruns, and many nieces and nephews.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Wally, all of her siblings and their spouses, brother-in-law Virgil and wife LaVina Karl, sister-in-law Joy and husband Arvid Swan, sister-in-law Joyce and husband Loren Borman, sister-in-law Renae Karl, and son-in-law Roy Sletto.

After 73 years of marriage Betty and Wally wanted to have their funerals together to reflect their togetherness through life. A Memorial Service for Betty & Wally will be held on Friday, August 1, 2025, 1:00 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home with a visitation from 12:00 – 1:00 PM. The family of Betty and Wally Karl wish to say thank you for your cards and words of sympathy and support at this time.