Jane E. "Betty" Spoolman

Betty was born to Irene and Font Harmon on March 23, 1921, in Spooner, Wisconsin. After graduating from Spooner High School in 1939, she attended Northland College in Ashland where she earned a teaching degree. In 1944, she married Arthur D. Spoolman of Ashland, whom she had met in college. During their years of raising a family of five children, Betty was a well-loved music teacher in the Cumberland Schools and later, when the family moved to Hayward, she became active and made many friends in that community. Later, she and Art lived several happy years in retirement in Spooner.

Wherever she lived, Betty loved being active in music and in her church—the First Methodist in Cumberland, First Congregational in Hayward where she directed the choir, and finally, the Spooner United Methodist Church where she was also choir director for several years. She loved to spend time at the family cabin on Big McKenzie Lake northwest of Spooner, and was proud to be one of the first of us to swim every year in the cold water of late spring or early summer. She never tired of being a generous and loving mom, grandma, and great-grandma and enjoyed every minute that she could spend with family members during what she called splendid times. She taught us all to savor life’s good moments in the same way.

In 1955, Betty and Art suffered the loss of their daughter Jean, their third child, to cystic fibrosis at age 3½. In her last years living at Harmony Living Center in McFarland, she struggled with serious health problems including the effects of a severe stroke, macular degeneration, and congestive heart failure. Through it all, she embodied courage, strength, kindness, and selfless love. While she lost so much, she always managed to keep her positive, loving energy flowing. To the very end, she carried that energy and, at last, handed it off to us—her children and other loved ones—to carry it on for her. She was a force for good in this world and a true inspiration to us all.

Betty is survived by her daughter Amy (Mike) Lanphear of McFarland; sons John (Rose) of Plymouth, MN; Rick (Nancy) of Rapid City, SD; and Scott (Gail) of Madison; 6 grandchildren Liz (John) Beutel, Chad (Lindsey) Spoolman, Corey (Kathy) Spoolman, Kerry (Greg) Bill, Will Martinelli-Spoolman, and Katie Martinelli-Spoolman; 8 great-grandchildren Brian, Andrew, McKenzie, Betty Mae, Koen, Joe, Charlie, and Robbie; sisters-in-law Mabel Harmon and Ruth Stroshane, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Jean, husband Art, sister Ione, and brothers Gene and John.

A memorial service will be held for Betty in Spooner on Monday, March 25th at the United Methodist Church, 312 Elm Street, at 11:00 am, followed by a luncheon reception at the church. A visitation will be held at the church before the service from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Internment will be next to her husband in the Spooner Cemetery.

The family wishes to give special thanks to the staff at Harmony Living Center in McFarland for their loving care and friendship so generously given to our mother during the 7 years she lived there. We ask that memorials be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the Spooner Library. Any donations will be greatly appreciated.