Elizabeth “Betty” Marie Kleeman, 99, Dickinson, died Saturday, November 2, 2024 at SMP Health-St. Catherine North, Fargo. Betty’s Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. MDT, Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson with Fr. Christian Smith as celebrant. Inurnment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Dickinson with fellowship and lunch to follow at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson.

Betty was born in a Dickinson, North Dakota hospital but lived on the family farm north of New Hradec, North Dakota. Betty lived her entire life, 99 ½ years, in North Dakota and was proud of it. She was the middle of five siblings, three brothers and one sister.

In 1948 she met and fell in love with Norval Kleeman. They married October 18, 1948. They lived in Hebron, ND for a time, moving back to Dickinson and started their family. A son, Steven, in 1956 and a daughter, Mary Beth in 1960. Betty became a widow early in her life as Norval died of cancer in late 1960.

When Betty was 18, she went to St. Alexius Nursing School in Bismarck, ND to train as a nurse in 1944. After receiving her RN degree she took a six-month trip to California to work coming back to Dickinson she took a position as a surgical nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital for four years as well as to help care for her mother who was ill. She then worked for Rodgers and Gumper Clinic (which is what is was called then) for ten years, from there going to Dickinson Nursing Center as the Director of Nursing. Her final position was as the University Nurse at Dickinson State University, retiring in 1994. After retirement Betty worked at a girl’s summer camp in Wisconsin as a nurse. Back in Dickinson, she volunteered for the Red Cross taking blood pressures, etc.

Betty used her nursing education to support herself and her two children after Norval died. She had a new house built in the early 60’s which was quite an accomplishment for a widowed mother of two back then. Betty would bring home the vaccinations her children needed and administer them. Steve would hide under the table but she always won.

Betty enjoyed musicals, being a member of the Red Hat Society and Catholic Daughters, live theater, gardening, and enjoyed socializing with family and friends. It was her house that extended family came to celebrate holidays, reunions, and the ultimate trip to Medora.

She lived in the house she had built until 2019 when she moved to an apartment in Fargo to be closer to her family. This was hard for her but she adapted and made friends in the building. After a little over three years in the apartment she moved to St. Catherine’s North in Fargo at the age of 98. Betty remained very independent and at times challenged the staff as a retired RN. She did enjoy the care she received there and the staff was wonderful right up to the day she died.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Steven and Minnie Kovash; her husband, Norval Kleeman; her daughter, Mary Beth Kleeman Schiltz; her brothers Andy, Alfred and Otto Kovash; and her faithful four-legged friend, Buddy. Her only sister, Edith Bartholome, died one week to the day after Betty.

She is survived by her son, Steven (Sharon) Kleeman, Ottertail, MN; her grandchildren, Sara (Matt) Albertson, Ft. Collins, CO, Lance (Katie) Schlitz, Fargo, ND, Stephanie (Matt) Kleeman-Olson, Moorhead, MN, and Katie Kleeman, Seattle, WA. She was very proud of her four great-grandchildren. Her special niece, Meroe Haug, Billings, MT and many nieces and nephews.