Betty Rose Pedersen Bell, 88, passed away peacefully on Friday, Nov. 11, 2016 in Belle Fourche, S.D., surrounded by her loving family.

Despite the fact that she always maintained she was 23 years old, Betty was born May 22, 1928, in Deadwood, the second of three girls born to Hans Skak and Ida (Matthesen) Pedersen. She grew up in Rapid City and Sturgis, but the family also spent time in Long Beach, Calif., and Tempe, Ariz., due to her older sister's health problems. While living in Tempe she rode a bus to Mesa , Ariz., to attend school so she could study Latin.

Betty loved music and was a talented musician. She played the violin, the drums, and also studied piano with Sister Clement at St. Martin's Monastery in Sturgis. She would continue this tradition with her own daughters, taking them to St. Martin's in Rapid City for weekly piano lessons. She loved classical music, but her daughters remember coming home from school to hear her pounding out the Spanish tune "Malaguena" on the piano.

Betty graduated from Sturgis Brown High School in 1946 and went on to Black Hills Teachers College, where she studied theater under Mrs. Lavina Humbert, who became her dear friend. She also did graduate work at Stanford University. But it was at BH that she met the love of her life, Douglas Bell. Years later she would recall how she first saw him walking across campus and thought "he was so handsome." He was still handsome when he passed away in her arms in 1972 at age 47.
Betty and Doug were married Aug. 24, 1952, in Sturgis. They lived in Belle Fourche and Sturgis, where Doug taught in the high schools, and in Spearfish, where he taught and was Director of Admissions at Black Hills State. Betty devoted her life to raising their three daughters: Wendy Roseda, Kerry Skak, and Heidi Ann. She had a way of making things magical and her children and grandchildren have many fond memories of tea parties, fairy rings, special birthday cakes and fiercely competitive games of croquet.

She belonged to PEO, Faculty Wives and several bridge groups. She attended several churches over the years, most recently becoming part of a close church family at St. John's Episcopal in Deadwood, where she and Kerry attended church every Saturday evening.

In 1973 she directed a BHSC production of "Spoon River Anthology," with Wendy among the cast members.

Betty did things not just well, but to perfection. She baked the world's best chocolate cake, often letting her daughters eat cake for breakfast. She wrapped the most beautiful packages with hand-tied ribbons. She played a wicked game of ping pong, Chinese checkers and badminton. People often commented on her beautiful penmanship, which was a work of art in itself.

As for art, Betty discovered a new love in mid-life when she began taking watercolor classes at Black Hills State. She found her niche painting portraits of immigrants. This subject was near and dear to her heart as her parents had emigrated to America from Denmark, her father at age 19 and her mother as a child with her family. Betty was very proud of her 100 percent Danish heritage and loved all things Danish.

She was also prone to wanderlust. She made nine trips to Europe over the years, most of them with Heidi, and their adventures together were many.

Betty was a study in contrasts. She was extremely elegant and ladylike, known for having a parasol and a pair of shoes to match every outfit. At the same time, she was comfortable donning her green rubber boots and putting a grocery sack over her red bouffant to go out and feed the family horses.

In many ways she was tough as nails. She raised three girls on her own and was always the first to go to bat for them. We will miss her dearly but she prepared us well. Toodley-doo, mom. We'll see you at home.

Her family would especially like to thank Jan Hansen and the wonderful staff at Belle Estate for taking such good care of Betty during her last days. Betty moved to Belle Estate over Labor Day 2016. Her time there was both exquisite and scrumptious.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; an infant child; a sister, Mae Garrett; two infant grandchildren; and many beloved pets. She leaves behind her "rascally" loved ones, including daughters, Wendy and husband Larry Mendoza, Kerry Bell, and Heidi and husband Alan Gease; grandchildren, Paul Mendoza, Shannon Mendoza, Samuel Mendoza, Nicholas "Kiko" Mendoza, Taten Gease and Tia Gease; great-grandchildren, Esperanza Mendoza Rama, Ayden Gurevitch, Eli Gurevitch, Omri Gurevitch and August Mestes; her cat, Trigger and granddog, Pudd'n; a sister, Joann Pedersen; and extended family members.

Memorials have been established for the Little Dane Church in St. Onge and St. John's Episcopal Church in Deadwood.

Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, with services to follow at 2 p.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spearfish with Father Michael Johnson of St. John's Episcopal officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Crematory Service of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com