Betty C. Zeien, 96, Harvey, North Dakota formerly of Hamberg, North Dakota, passed away Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at St. Aloisius Nursing Home, Harvey, North Dakota.  Funeral Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 2, 2023 at Concordia Lutheran Church, rural Fessenden, North Dakota.  Pastor Shirley Teske will officiate and burial will be in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 1, 2023 with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m., all at the Nelson Funeral Home, Fessenden, North Dakota.

Betty Christina Stark was born December 22, 1926 at home on the farm south of Hamberg, North Dakota to Julius and Christina (Stransky) Stark. Betty attended the Zeien Country School.  She continued her education through a lifelong love of reading.

Betty married William Zeien on June 2, 1946 at Concordia Lutheran Church near Fessenden.  They farmed for many years and raised their family on her home farm.  When William contracted a U.S. Star Mail Route, she helped drive for a time.  She taught herself to cook, bake, and sew stylish clothes for herself and her family.  She taught Sunday School, belonged to a Homemaker's Club, Christian Women, Concordia Ladies Aid and Concordia Lutheran Church.

Betty loved her family and spent as much time with them as she could.  She and William had a large garden and always shared its produce.  They also spent time traveling to visit relatives.  Many Sunday afternoons, she would pack a lunch for a trip with the boat to an area lake, where William would pull water skiers.  Many young people loved to ski. Betty liked driving her caddie convertible in parades, Homecoming, and for weddings. She had collections of books, butterflies, and angels.  Betty instilled a love of family in her children and shared scrapbooks and ancestry with the whole family.

Betty spent many years in the St. Aloisius Nursing Home, but she did the best she could in activities, with staff, and with family visits.

Betty is survived by her children, Virgil (Kathy) Zeien, Karen (Randy) Striefel, Paul (Audrey) Zeien, and Jonathan (Stephani) Zeien; her grandchildren, Kimberly Luppina, Jesse Zeien, Sarah Streifel-Lemer, Andrew Zeien, Josh Zeien, Amanda Zeien-Hoover, Alyssa Zeien, Dalton Zeien, and Miranda Zeien; great-grandchildren, Sydney Luppina, Keegan Julik, Kaden Julik, Wyatt Lemer, Gracie Lemer, Rachel Hoover, Jesse Hoover, Amelia Zeien, and Henry Zeien.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, William, son Stanley, brother, Elmer Stark, and half siblings, Ervin Kemmer, Erna Morken, Ida Marek, Tina Scheer, Clarence Kemmer, and Hilda Proefrock.