Betty Ann Church

Betty A. Church, 92, of Hastings, NE passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The family will have a private committal service at the Fairfield Cemetery in Fairfield, NE with Pastor Josh Davis officiating. Apfel Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Born on June 11, 1933 in Arriba, Colorado to Melton and Helga Brown, Betty was the youngest of four children.

Throughout her childhood, Betty’s family moved frequently across Central Nebraska eventually settling in Fairfield. She graduated there in 1950 and received a teaching certificate from Kearney State College. She taught for two years in a small ruralschool near Glenvil. During the Korean War, she worked for atime at the Navy Ammunition Depot and then returned to teach one year at District 60 south of Hastings. After this, she took a job at Dutton-Lainson as a bookkeeper. She found this work to be very fulfilling and continued in this profession until her retirement.

She married Robert Fricke in 1953 and became a loving mother of two children, Denise and Wayne. She balanced her career and raising her children with love and devotion. After her children were grown, Betty moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1984 to support her sister’s business. There, she met Charles Church, who would become the love of her life. They married in 1991 and shared 34 wonderful years together.

Betty and Charles enjoyed their retirement together, living in Colorado from 1995-2003 and then Florida until 2017 when they returned to Hastings to be near family. Retirement gave Betty the time to pursue many of her passions-she loved golfing, writing and playing music. A gifted musician, she played the piano by ear and played in bands with her clarinet and harmonica. She was always the life of the party and loved being surrounded by family and friends.

Betty was preceded in death by her father, Melton Brown; mother, Helga Brown; brother, Lorrell Brown; and brothers-in-law: Eugene Williams and Wayne Mills.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Charles Church; daughter, Denise Ochsner (and son-in-law Russ Ochsner); son, Wayne Fricke; eight grandchildren; and thirteen great-grandchildren; two sisters: Leona Williams and Marvel Mills and many nieces and nephews.

Her presence will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved her, but her memory and spirit will remain forever in their hearts.