Elizabeth “Betty” (Pelant) Dahle, 92

Elizabeth “Betty” (Pelant) Dahle, age 92 of Waseca, died on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at Lakeshore Rehabilitation Center in Waseca.

Born on December 25, 1931, in New Prague, Betty was the daughter of John and Helen (Friauf) Pelant. She attended Montgomery schools and graduated from Montgomery High School in 1949. Following her education, she worked at Green Giant Canteen (now Seneca) in Montgomery. Betty was united in marriage to Kenneth Dahle on October 15, 1950, at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery. During her lifetime she worked as a cook in Morristown, at Brown Printing, at Birdseye, at Wallace Café in Waterville, at Lakeshore Inn Nursing Home in Waseca, for Meals On Wheels, and at Phil Mart in Waterville.

In 1974, Betty and Ken moved to Alaska. She and several of her daughters made the ten-day gravel drive alone in a 1968 Chevrolet Impala. Their family lived in Fairbanks for fourteen years and during that time Betty leased a restaurant on the Nenana Riverboat in Pioneer Park. Her passion was cooking and catering events.

Betty is survived by her children, Darlene Krocak of Waterville, Barbara Swan of Anchorage, AK, Susan Moldenhauer of Waseca, Nancy (Sam) Hall of Gardnerville, NV, and Mary (Tim) Mahlen of Buckley, WA; daughter-in-law, Gretchen Dahle of Lake City; grandchildren, Cathy and John Krocak, Tony Dahle (Amy Tolzman), Brigitte (Leonard) Sims, Sarah (Patrick) Hopwood, Elizabeth (Andrew) Wilkinson, Kenneth (Melissa) Swan, Joyce (Tyler) Eggen, Brad Buker, Dillon (Emerald) Dayton, Connor (Sydney) Dayton, Randall Mahlen and Naomi (Jose) Ibarra; great-grandchildren, Bailey, Kendall and Jameson Hopwood, Ryan and Myles Eggen, Kaiden Buker, and Aurora and Kevin Wilkenson; nephews, Jim (Sally) Pelant, Jason (Trista) Pelant, Josh (Amy) Pelant; and many other relatives. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken Dahle; son, Daniel Dahle; parents, John and Helen Pelant; brother, John (Judy) Pelant; sons-in-law, Ken Krocak, Doug Moldenhauer, and Bob Swan; and one great-grandchild in infancy, Casey.

Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca with Father Glenn Frerichs officiating. Visitation was held for one hour before the service at the church. Interment followed at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca. Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service in Waseca handled arrangements. dsofuneral.com