Betty Lou (Blank) Carlen

Betty L. Carlen, age 88, of Annandale died Sunday, January 17, 2021 at Centennial Villa in Annandale.

Walk through visitation without family present will be held from 12-1 p.m. on Friday, January 22, 2021 at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Annandale. A Private funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Annandale with Rev. Dave Hoadley officiating. Burial will follow at North Crow River Lutheran Cemetery in Knapp Township near Cokato. Memorials are preferred to Crossroads Animal Shelter in Buffalo or the American Heart Association.

Betty Lou Carlen was born December 21, 1932 in Minneapolis to Otto and Elsie (Bauer) Blank. She was raised in Sauk Centre, graduating from Sauk Centre High School with the Class of 1948. She continued her education at a trade school in the Minneapolis metro area to learn secretarial skills. On November 24, 1956, she was united in marriage to Paul Edward Carlen in Sauk Centre. They were blessed with three children while living in St. Louis Park; they moved to Brooklyn Park at "Triple J Ranch", where they raised their family. After Paul's death in 1981, Betty moved to a town home in Maple Grove and later she built a home in Buffalo to be closer to family. When Betty's health began to fail, she moved to Lake Ridge Care Center in Buffalo and finally to the Annandale Care Center.

Betty worked at General Mills in Minneapolis and for many years as the counseling secretary for Osseo School District 279. In retirement, she worked for 20 years at Culvers in Buffalo. She was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Park, Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, and the Buffalo American Legion Auxiliary. Betty enjoyed craft fairs, antiquing, collecting dishes, playing bingo, canning pickles, making strawberry jelly, traveling the world, and attending her kids and grandkids sporting events. She was an excellent cook that enjoyed gathering family and friends to her table. Betty had a soft heart for animals, especially her companion dog, Monti.

She is survived by her sons and daughter, Jeff (Sue) of Annandale, Jonay (Roger) Swanson of Parker Damn, CA and Jim (Karen) of Payson, AZ; seven grandchildren, Chris, Jenna, Jacob, Sandy, David, Jaymi and Justin; two step grandchildren, Jeni and Lindsay; eight great grandchildren, Holdyn, Raylan, Sawyer, Sutton, Aubrey, Wyatt, Blake and Alberta; and three step great grandchildren, Ashlynn, Landon and Chase. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Elsie Blank; husband, Paul; brothers, Henry, Glen "Bob", Arnold, Donald and Al Blank; and sisters, Fern Herder and Dorothy Kurrell.

The casket bearers will be Jeff Carlen, Jim Carlen, Jonay Swanson, Jacob Carlen, Matt Witherbee and Tim Blank. Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Annandale.

Obituary, Tribute Wall, Video Tribute and Funeral Webcast online at www.dingmannfuneral.com

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