Betty Jo Hilferty
Betty Jo Hilferty of Arvada, Colo, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Sept. 14, 2019, in the Collier Hospice Center, Wheat Ridge Colorado.
Betty Jo was born to Rachel Miller and placed into adoption at the Child Savings Institute in Omaha, Nebraska. When she was 10 months old, Betty Jo was adopted by Irvin and Leota Flaming of Madrid, Neb. Betty Jo grew up in Madrid with a wonderful brother, Jay Flaming, who now resides in Yuma, Colo.
Betty Jo attended Madrid High School where she met and later married Gary Hilferty on July 26, 1959. They just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Betty Jo and Gary had three children, Dan Hilferty, Kent Hilferty and Robin (Hilferty) Reed. After Kent was born, they moved to Arvada, Colo., in 1961.
Betty Jo was an active member in the Arvada United Methodist Church for more than 58 years. She was in book clubs, bridge clubs and was a lifelong yoga participant.
Betty Jo began working at Target in Arvada in 1979. She remained there until August of this year.
Family was the most important thing in Betty Jo’s life. She dearly loved all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Later in life, Betty Jo found her biological family. She found one full brother, Ken, and two half-brothers, Joe and Steve. She also found aunts, uncles and many nephews and nieces. She quickly learned to love them all and enjoyed their company.
Betty Jo enjoyed traveling. When Betty Jo was a child, her family went on a lot of road trips, many of those to California to visit her great-grandparents.
Betty Jo, Gary and the kids never went a year without a road trip somewhere in the United States. After the kids left home, Betty Jo and Gary decided to see the world, with trips to England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Switzerland, Tahiti, New Zealand and many more.
Betty Jo is preceded in death by her parents, Irvin and Leota Flaming; her brother, Ken and her nephew, Brent Flaming.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Hilferty of Arvada; her three children, Dan Hilferty of Parker, Colo., Kent (Judy) Hilferty of Madrid, and Robin (Pete Grosskreuz) Reed of Arvada; her brother Jay (Carol) Flaming of Yuma; six grandkids, Crystal (Steve) Duran, Jaimie (Nate) Saunders, Lisa Hilferty, Amy (Michael) Turner, Nick Reed and Dana (Sarah Caluette) Reed; and her nine great-grandchildren, Savanah, Hailey, Vincent, Colton, Jade, Ella, Elleandra, Emalyn and Braxton, and one on the way in April.
A Celebration of Betty Jo’s Life was held on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 at 2 p.m. at Arvada Methodist Church, 6750 Carr Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004.
Memorial donations in Betty Jo’s name may be made to the Arvada Methodist Church.