- Date Of Birth: August 3, 1924
- Date Of Death: December 29, 2021
- State: Iowa
Betty Jean (Wessels) Estell, 97, passed away on December 29th, 2021 at Deerfield Retirement Community in Urbandale. She will be interred at Resthaven Cemetery alongside her husband of 62 years, Chet Estell.
Betty was born on August 3rd, 1924 in Creston, Iowa to Everett and Hazel Wessels. She grew up on an Iowa farm with her sister and two brothers and attended a one room country school for eight years. She later boarded in Creston, Iowa where she attended high school, participated in band, and became the drum majorette.
Four months after graduation, she traveled to California and married Chet Estell who was serving in the U.S. Navy. They were married for 62 years until his death in 2005.
While Chet was serving overseas in WWII, Betty went to work in the Des Moines Ammunition Plant where she made bullets for the war effort. After the war, she and Chet settled in Des Moines where Betty has lived for the past 76 years. After Chet’s retirement, they enjoyed wintering for 26 years in Boca Raton and later Naples, Florida and then made Deerfield Retirement Community their primary residence when it opened in 2005.
Betty was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church, a Life member of the Des Moines Golf & Country Club and a member of PEO. She was a loving mother and grandmother, wonderful cook, spotless housekeeper, and a gracious hostess. Betty loved spending time and traveling with her family and she played a mean game of bridge. She not only enjoyed playing golf in Des Moines, but also took trips to Europe and South America to play with family and friends.
Betty is survived by her three children; Richard (Diana); Deborah Wood (Dennis); and Gregory (Kathleen); grandchildren, Brian, Erin, Julie, Brett, Elizabeth, and Grant; and eleven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Ashley.
In her words, “My life was my home, family, and friends. I was never happier than when I was at the bridge table, on the golf course, or entertaining in our home.”
