Betty H Chesley

Mankato Mortuary
388-2202

Betty H. Chesley age 99, of North Mankato died Thursday, September 1, 2011 at her home.

A celebration of Betty's life will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church, Mankato. Private family burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery, Mankato. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Betty's house, 220 Crestwood Drive, North Mankato. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to YMCA Chesley Skateboard Park, Salvation Army or Freedom School. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Betty was born May 5, 1912 to Edmund A. and Rose M. (Reichel) Hull. She was a graduate of Mankato High School in 1929 and Mankato Teachers College in 1933. Hers was the first class to receive a four year degree from Mankato Teachers College. Betty taught one year at Scarville, IA and three years at Olivia, MN. At the college, now called Minnesota State University, Mankato, she was very active in the College of Social and Behavior Sciences and the last five years has sponsored lectures on "aging and how to adjust to it" that have been open to the public. Betty married B. H. Chesley September 10, 1938. He was in the long time family owned truck business.

Betty was always interested in helping youth. When she was practice teaching, a supervisor told her, "If you help one in thirty, you've done a good job." That has been her motto ever since and the incentive to sponsor the YMCA Chesley Skateboard Park, "to keep kids off the streets."

Betty is survived by her four children, George (Barbara) Chesley of Superstition Mountain, AZ; Bill Chesley of Las Vegas, NV; Anne Chesley Herlihy of North Mankato; Robert (Carla) Chesley of Mankato; six grandchildren, Paula, Sarah, Steven, Lisa, Brian and Mariah; two great-grandchildren, Rachel and Ryan.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband B.H. in November of 2000.