Bette W Flater

Bette W. Flater, age 100, of Saint James, died on February 2, 2024, at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center in Saint James.

A memorial service will be held at Augustana Lutheran Church in Saint James on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 11:00 am with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Saint James. Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Saint James. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Bette was born November 19, 1923, to Heinrich and Caroline (Berg) Kuball in Dresden, North Dakota. She graduated from Minto High School in 1942. On March 29, 1968, she married Donald Flater at Augustana Lutheran Church in Saint James.

Bette began her working career at an ammunition plant in Indiana during WWII. Later, she settled in Saint James and worked for Scherr Tumico for 27 years, retiring in 1988. Bette enjoyed volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels.  She also served as an election judge for Watonwan County and was co-chair of the Augustana Lutheran funeral committee. In her free time, Bette enjoyed sewing, quilting, gardening, horsesback riding, and visiting shut-ins at the nursing homes.

Bette was a wonderful wife to Don and mother to her children.  She was always kind to everyone she met.

Bette is survived by her husband, Don; children, Sandra (Jerry) Hamilton, Candice (Steve) Haberkorn, Diana (Dennis) Dougherty, Jan (Rebecca) Warling, Colleen (Rick) Thompson, and Kurt (Julie Warrant) Warling; sisters, Barbara Armstrong and Addie Oakland; brother in-law, Richard Gust; sisters-in-law, Lois Sykora and Nancy Hlavacek; grandchildren, David (Roz) Wilbanks, Ted (Bonnie) Elmquist, Stephanie (Dean) Campion, Sara (Eric) Singerhouse, Alicia (Giles) Smith, Cory Haberkorn, Brett (Robyn) Haberkorn, Tracy Cunningham, Travis Dougherty, Melissa Malone, Bryan (Kimberly) Warling, Nikki Thompson, Christopher Thompson, and Brandon (Kari) Warling; 14 great-grandchildren; 8 great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Bette was preceded in death by her parents; former husband, Harold Luverne Warling;  father-in-law and mother-in law, Henry and Marie Flater; brothers, Walter, Herb, Irie, Alvin, and Paul Kuball; sisters, Charlotte Gust, Mildred Brownsey, Dorothy Smith, and Carol Alcorn; sisters-in-law, Betty Kuball, Lorraine Kuball, Pauline Kuball, Judith Kuball, Grace Kuball and Ruth Ringle; brothers-in-law, Harry Armstrong, Donald Barry, Everett Brownsey, Victor Smith, Jim Alcorn, Duane Sykora, Harold Hlavacek and Ernie Ringle; nieces, Patty, Gail, Karla, and Kimberly; and nephews, Jimmy and Dale.

Special thanks to Mayo Hospice and Good Samaritan for her care.

Memorial donations may be made to Augustana Lutheran Church, 603 Armstrong Blvd N, Saint James, MN 56081.