Betty Springer

Betty Jane Springer, 88, of Missoula, passed away on Thursday, July 27, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer.

She was born on October 18, 1934, in Missoula, to Gabor and Ester Balas Nagy, immigrants of Hungary. They settled near LaCasse Lane in Frenchtown where they had a sugar beet and dairy farm. The farm took up most of her and the family's time, but she was on the drill team in her early years of high school. During her junior year of high school, the family moved to the Target Range area to run another farm. She graduated from Missoula County High School in 1952. After high school, she worked at the Missoula Mercantile until 1955 when she moved to California with her sister.

When in California, Betty met and then married Robert Springer on August 27, 1956; they settled in Santa Rosa. They welcomed their daughter Roberta on November 4, 1957. During their time in California, they went on several camping and fishing trips. Betty grew to miss the winters in Montana and disliked the earthquakes in California and ended up convincing Bob to move back to Frenchtown in 1969. Betty worked as a legal secretary for lawyers and as a transcriptionist for doctors after moving back to Montana. Shortly after, they won a parcel of land in a homesteading lottery up Houle Creek in Frenchtown where they built a house. There were many nights that they hosted card games with family and friends. After Bob passed in 1990, Betty moved to a house in East Missoula where she relished seeing all the trick-or-treaters on Halloween and having a park right next door.

She moved to the Silvercrest Apartments recently and enjoyed the many activities and community it provided. Betty was an active member of the Salvation Army church for most of her life. There weren't many Sundays that you couldn't find Betty at the church services and other church related activities throughout the week. Betty enjoyed singing, card games, bingo, cheesecake and Double Front chicken. She especially loved her family and taking care of her grandchildren.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, seven brothers (Gabor, Bill, Elmer, Mike, John, Joe, and Carl), three sisters (Ellen, Helen and Virginia), husband, son and daughter.

She is survived by her grandchildren Nick (Natasha) LaCasse, Jamie (Jeremy) LaCasse, Bobby Springer III, Steven Springer, Roberta (Chris) Cook, Tony Springer, great grandchildren Braiden Webb, Brittany (Tyler) Shappee, Taytem Nault, Bailey Cook, Brynn LaCasse, Zane Lanktree, Feliciti and Kylar Springer, several stepchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Services will be held on Monday, August 7th at 11am with a reception to follow at the Salvation Army, 355 S Russell St., Missoula. Interment at Missoula City Cemetery following the reception. Memorials can be sent to the Salvation Army.