Betty M. (Star) Chan

Betty M. Chan, age 92 of Glenwood, died July 3, 2019 at the Glenwood Retirement Village. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glenwood. Visitation will be on Monday, July 8th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with Parish Prayers at 7 p.m. at the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Glenwood. 

Betty Mae Chan was born July 28, 1926, to Bob and Christine (Dynda) Star at their home in Reno Township, Pope County, MN. As a young girl, Betty attended country school and worked on the Star family farm with her parents and two sisters Viola and Janet.  On April 17, 1944, she was united in marriage to Leonard Ernest Chan at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church and they celebrated 65 years together before Leonard passed away in 2009. The Chan family farm was on Lake Reno, where they raised their three sons, James, Thomas and Randy. Betty and Leonard had many interests; they loved dancing and went to many square dance and polka dances around the area. They enjoyed playing whist and had weekly card parties with friends. Watching and going to the MN Twins games and an occasional trip to the casino, (where Betty rarely won, but Leonard always did), made these outings fun! Betty was a wonderful cook and crafter, she loved baking, quilting, crocheting and sewing. She rarely sat down without a project or two in her lap. She belonged to the St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church mission group and was very involved with all church functions. In 1988, they retired from farm life and moved to Glenwood. They joined the Sacred Heart Church of Glenwood and continued their fellowship and faithfulness. They travelled to visit their sons; James in Kansas, Thomas in Maine and Randy in the Twin Cities, also a yearly trip to Las Vegas was a highlight they never missed. They enjoyed camping and fishing around the state with family and friends. Fish fry’s and card parties were a common occurrence at their home and everyone who knows them, knew they were welcome and that Betty would always have a delicious meal and many sweet treats too! Betty was a wonderful, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved her family dearly and was always excited for a visit and would prepare for days, cooking all the favorites, to be sure everyone was comfortable and well fed! In 2010, she moved to Park View Court and then in 2014 to the Glenwood Retirement Village. She was dearly loved and was known for taking the time to help bake and always had a smile for everyone. She will be deeply missed by her loving family and friends. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at the Glenwood Retirement Village.

Betty is survived by her sons, James and Beverly Chan of Manhattan, KS, Thomas and Paulette Cahn of Wilton, ME, and Randy and Lucyann Chan of Glenwood, MN, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Mark, Charity, Freedom and Courage Chan of Edmond, OK, Brady, Laura, Bennett, and Harper, of Omaha, NE, Monique Cahn of New York City, NY, Ramona and James Pursel of Santa Ynez, CA, Amanda and Eric Wardell of St. Louis Park, MN and Lindsay, Mike and Michael Osterman of Maplewood, MN, also many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard, her parents, Bob and Christine Star, Leonard’s parents, Wencil and Mary Chan, her sisters Viola Kalina, Janet Koubsky and brothers-in-law, Joe Koubsky and Jerry Kalina.

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