Betty Holtz, 87, of Charles City

Betty Holtz, 87, of Charles City, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the 11th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City with her loving family by her side.

Please join us in celebrating this life well lived on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Bethany Alliance Church from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for a visitation with the family and this will continue one hour before the service.  On Monday, April 13, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. we welcome you to join us for her final service at Bethany Alliance Church with a lunch to follow. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Charles City.

Loving, loyal, hospitable, diligent, faithful, tenacious, classy, daughter, mother, aunt, grandma, great-grandma, great-great grandma, friend, daughter of the King of Kings, these are but a few words that portray the life of Betty Jean Brown Kinter Holtz.

On January 7, 1939, the long-awaited blessing named Betty Jean made her arrival into the arms of Clifford Anson & Merna Irene Brown (nee Ritter).  Betty grew up and attended schools in both Osage and Charles City, Iowa where music was always her favorite subject.  The Brown family attended Covenant Mission Church in Charles City, and one day after the service Betty’s parents invited a young man to dinner. That young man would soon be a fixture at that dinner table as Betty married Dale Kinter on September 16th of 1955.  Dale and Betty welcomed their first daughter Debra Jean in September of 1956 and then daughter Laura Ann joined in September of 1961 completing their family unit.

Betty was a faithful member of Bethany Alliance Church where she used her gift of hospitality to serve.  She was always ready to host anyone who needed a good meal or a place to rest, whether it be for a night, a week, or months.

Betty was an accomplished seamstress. She sewed almost everything her daughters and granddaughters wore, including Deb’s wedding dress.  Sewing was such a passion, that she even sold Singer sewing machines from her basement.

Betty was an incredibly hard-worker, always working hard to help provide for her family. Betty worked in the OB department of the Floyd County Medical Hospital, loving on newborns and their mama’s.  Dale and Betty also operated the Charles City Laundromat for many years. Betty worked at Richards Jewelers in the Cedar Mall enjoying all the beautiful jewelry, as she undeniably loved the sparkles.  Working as a Dispatcher for the Charles City Police Department was a job that was right up her alley, and she thrived as she learned the new language of 10-codes.  The “job” that she felt was her greatest calling was when she and Dale became the Jail Administrators for the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department. Their work there became their ministry. They impacted the lives of many individuals who were incarcerated. When Dale died suddenly in January of 1993, Betty became the sole jail administrator, and was honored as Iowa’s Jail Administrator of the year.

Some might say by chance, other’s might say by God’s great design, Betty met an old friend, and once again her parents invited him to their dinner table. From this dinner table a great love story once again blossomed, and Betty was united in marriage with David H. Holtz on July 5th of 1996. Betty and David enjoyed traveling together. They loved their fishing trips and especially enjoyed taking the motorcycle trips, to visit friends and family. They loved spending time together and served each other with love and devotion for almost 30 years.

In Betty’s spare time she kept busy with her many projects.  She hand-quilted a large number of quilts.  She also knitted, crocheted and cross-stitched until the arthritis in her hands made it too hard to continue.  She was a devoted memory-keeper and used scrapbooks to solidify these memories to pass down to her family.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband Dale; her daughter, Laura and son-in-law, Jonathan Jones; her parents, Clifford and Merna Brown; her brother, Garry Brown and sister-in-law Carol Brown.

Those left to carry on her amazing legacy of love are her daughter and son-in-law, Deb & Bob Hocking; bonus daughters: Mary (Mike) Chase, Rae (Randy) Edwards, and Kay (Gary) West all of Arizona; grandchildren: Elizabeth (Joe) Knecht, Allison Hocking, Emily (Roy) Watson, AJ (Jordan) Edwards, Evan (Chelsea) Edwards, Ethan Chase (Maddie Angeroth), Tyler (Nicole) Chase, Lauren West and Ryan West; great-grandchildren: Matthew (Jenya), Jenna (Dustin), Joshua, Wesley, Isabella (Mitchell), Hannah (Tanner), Caleb, Alex, Sadie, Abigail, along with Ryder, Kolter, Luke, Landon, and Kennedy; great-great grandbabies: Hendrix and Baby Knecht; nieces: Gina (Scott) Phearman, Angela Sinwell, Kelly (John) Powell, and Shawna Davis; and chosen sister, Peggy Drake.

Betty’s sincere and beautiful smile was magnetic.  As cliche as it sounds, she truly could light up an entire room with her smile.  Her smile had the power to warm a room and a heart, making you know that you were important and loved. I can only imagine the smile that she had as she heard the words, “Well done good and faithful servant” as she entered the arms of her Lord and Saviour.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements.  Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com