Betty Danielson

Betty K. Danielson, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was welcomed into her heavenly home on October 29, 2025.

Betty was born early in 1929 to J. Arvid and Genevieve Johnson in Chicago, Illinois. Their family soon grew to welcome Betty’s younger brother, Chuck, whom she loved dearly and fiercely defended as a young girl (even standing up to a bully on his behalf!). At a young age, Betty learned to play the piano. An avid reader, she found that the piano also offered a great reading nook; her mother often caught her reading a book under the piano when she was supposed to be dusting the furniture. Her love of music, and particularly singing, began in childhood, and continued throughout her life, as she sang in school and church choirs and small groups.

Growing up on the South side of Chicago, Betty and her friends took advantage of the city’s benefits, often spending Sunday afternoons at the lakefront and Chicago museums. They relied on public transportation to get there – climbing across construction trenches for the future subway line in order to reach the streetcar.

Betty first met her future husband, Worrell "Wally" Danielson, in their church youth group, but they didn't date until they were young adults. The two fell in love and were married in April of 1953, in the Redeemer Covenant Church in Chicago. After exchanging their marriage vows, the happy couple took a train to Denver, Colorado, to celebrate their honeymoon.

The newlyweds made their first home in an apartment in Chicago, and soon welcomed their first child, Keith (1955). They bought their first house in Evergreen Park, a south side suburb of Chicago, where they welcomed their daughters, Sandra (1956) and Elizabeth (1960), into their family.

In 1968, the family moved to the Detroit area for a new job for Wally. In each home, Betty took great pride in creating a loving, supportive home and providing her family with a warm, nurturing environment. A great cook and baker, her Spritz, Swedish Pepparkakor, and chocolate chip cookies were unrivaled. She often added beautiful touches to her home and family through things she made, sewing matching dresses for the girls and herself, Halloween costumes for the kids, curtains and other home decor items, and taught sewing to her daughters as well. She also became an avid knitter.

Betty prepared delicious meals for the family, and Betty and Wally often hosted extended family and friends. Every meal had a formally set table (no “grab and go” in her home), even for daily family meals. The fine linen and china were regularly put into service for guests.

Betty and Wally made unforgettable memories on adventurous vacations for the family traveling around the country in a travel trailer borrowed from Wally's parents. She was a master of organization in that tiny little travel trailer kitchen, and continued to adhere to her rule for a fully set table, even when the table was an outdoor picnic table.

Betty had a servant heart and freely shared her gifts in the church and community. She and Wally sang in the church choir wherever they attended. She led the church's junior choir for a time and played handbells for many years. Betty also served as a Sunday school teacher and led an after-school Bible club at her daughter Beth's school.

Betty worked outside of the home for a time before the children were born, and as the children grew up, she worked for an optometrist and friend who needed an office assistant. For 21 years, Betty enjoyed this work until she retired in 1993.

Upon retirement, Betty and Wally moved to their Pentwater cottage in 1994, having remodeled and added an addition to make it into a year-round home. In Pentwater, Betty volunteered at the local Chamber of Commerce and sang in the Centenary UMC choir. From there, she and Wally also traveled around the country to participate in work projects with the 29ers from Centenary.

In 2006, Betty and Wally moved to independent living at Covenant Living of the Great Lakes (CLGL), where they became active members of the community, participating in resident-led theatre productions, volunteering for the Sunshine Committee and organizing bandage rolling for missions. Betty sang in a mixed chorus at CLGL. After some years, Betty became the only remaining woman in the group, after which the chorus affectionately became known as "Betty and the Boys." While at CLGL, she also dusted off her piano skills, accompanying assisted living chapel services regularly on Sunday afternoons. She always kept singing. Even as she declined in her last years, she could frequently be heard singing her favorite hymns.

Gracious, generous, and kind, Betty Danielson lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. A woman who embodied the principles of her Christian faith, Betty led with her heart in all things and welcomed each day as a gift. A devoted homemaker, Betty enjoyed ensuring her family's well-being and creating a warm, loving home firmly rooted in faith and gratitude for life's blessings. As she declined in her own abilities, she graciously accepted help and care from her family and caregivers in Assisted Living and Memory Care. We, her family, are grateful to CLGL staff for the kind and loving care they provided, and Corewell Hospice staff for their supportive care.

A cherished wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Betty will long be remembered and deeply missed. She proved to be a powerful role model for living a full and beautiful life. As we celebrate her life, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories and in carrying forward her legacy of faith, hope, and love.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Worrell "Wally," and her brother, Charles "Chuck" Johnson. Betty is survived by her three children, Keith Danielson, Sandra (David) Kersten, Elizabeth (Steven) Russell, of Pentwater, MI; grandchildren, Andrea (Ryan Healy) Kersten, Peter (Dana Madden) Kersten, Genevieve (Eric Newman) Kersten, Kara (Travis) Roland, Erin (Travis Snyder) Rice; great-grandchildren, Linnea, Callan, Connor, Wally, GG, Miles, and Amelia.

Cremation has taken place. A service to celebrate Betty's life will be held on December 29, 2025, at 2 pm at Covenant Village of the Great Lakes Chapel, 2510 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Friends and relatives may meet with her family from 1-2 p.m. prior to the service at the same location. Refreshments and light snacks will be served following the service. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Covenant Village Benevolent Fund -Great Lakes location, or to Corewell Health Hospice. To read more about Betty's life, sign her guest book, and leave your own memory of her, please visit www.heritagelifestory.com.