Betty Ann Holmer

Betty Ann Holmer of the Grasston area entered the heavenly band with her steel guitar when Jesus took her home on Saturday, May 10th at Cambridge Medical Center. Betty was born on May 23, 1934, to Richard and Eleanor (Dalluge) Kottke in Osseo, MN. She was the youngest of five children. At the young age of 9, Betty and her sister, Myrtle, began playing their Hawaiian Guitars. That was the beginning of her lifetime career in music. At the age of 15, she asked Jesus into her heart and she followed Him the rest of her days. Betty was funny, friendly and beautiful which earned her the title of homecoming queen before graduating from Osseo High School in 1952. Betty met and fell in love with the “crooner” of her life, Jack, and they were married February 16, 1954. They shared their love and music for over 60 years. They moved “to the country” near Grasston, MN, in 1961 where they raised their two daughters and eventually their 10 grandchildren. Betty was one of the first “female” steel guitar pickers in Minnesota and she played in several different bands. She backed up Nashville stars at the Flame Café, played in an all-girl band, adopted several musicians as her own kids, and eventually entertained with her family band. Many people still remember the names - Jack & Betty in the Country, The JB Sound and finally Laura Jennelle and the JB Sound. In the later years, she played in church and occasionally played with the family band – 5 ‘til Sunrise. It is anticipated that when Jesus put out the help wanted ad for a steel guitar picker, Betty said, “Pick me” and He did. Preceding Betty in death were her parents - Richard and Eleanor (Dalluge) Kottke: brothers – Wallace and Kenneth Kottke and sister Nora Johnson; and her still-born son. Surviving Betty are her husband – John Holmer; her daughters - Patrice (John) DeGray and Laura (Tom) Martin; grandchildren – Christopher (Ashley) DeGray, Bobby (Sandy) DeGray, Gerald DeGray, Rebecca DeGray, Rachel DeGray, Sarah DeGray, Angela DeGray, Eric (Ashley) Martin, Julie (Brett) Anderson, and Amanda (Christian) Cummings; great-granddaughter – Adyson Betts; sister – Myrtle Orgon; sisters-in-law – Florence Swensen and Patricia Holmer; many nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors and her dog – Tic Toc. Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 15 at the Henriette Community Church, Henriette, MN.  Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 14, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. @ Swanson Funeral Chapel in Pine City and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.  Interment will be in the Royalton Memorial Cemetery.