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Betty Jo Stafford, age 93 of Valley City and formerly of Fargo and Williston died Monday Sept. 16, 2013 at the Sheyenne Care Center in Valley City. Visitation will be from 5pm until 7 pm Wednesday at the Lerud-Schuldt Funeral home in Valley City and services and burial at Williston, ND under the direction of the Everson Funeral Home.
Betty Jo Stafford was born Oct. 9, 1919 at Bunkerhill, KS, one of 12 children born to Joseph and Elva (Mitchell) Talbott. She attended school until the 8th grade but then her mother died and she helped raise her siblings. On April 11, 1942 she was united in marriage to LeMont W. Jahn in Minnesota. He was in service overseas when their daughter Sandra was born in 1944 in California. Betty then moved to Kansas and lived with her sister while waiting for LeMont to return. LeMont returned home from the war and in 1949 a son, Bill, was added to the family. In 1955 the family moved to Sterling, CO where LeMont was employed in the oil industry. His job took the family to Williston, ND in 1960. It was at Williston that Betty became known for her flair for fashion, working at Karen’s Dress Shop. The couple moved to Gillette, WY in 1967. LeMont passed away in 1971 and she then moved to Minot, ND. In 1973 she was married to Howard Stafford. They moved to Fargo, ND in 1974. Howard passed away in 1994 and Betty continued to make her home in Fargo until 2005 when she moved to the Sheyenne Care Center in Valley City.
Betty was many things to many people. She was patriotic. She was extremely proud of her family and loved being a grandma. She was feisty! Her love of fashion was evident in the way she dressed. She always dressed classy. And if you didn’t know it she was quick to let you know she was Bob Dole’s aunt. Yes, the same Bob Dole that ran for President.
Survivors include her daughter, Sandra K (Roger) Kohlman, Bismarck, ND, a son Bill (Roxanne) Jahn, Valley City, ND, four grandchildren Jennifer (Leon) Huff, Williston, ND, Jason (Alayne) Kohlman, West Fargo, ND, Melissa (Jeremy) Milani, Nashua, NH, and Kevin (Heather) Jahn, Columbia, SC, three great grandchildren, Ella Kohlman, Vivienne Kohlman, and Geneva Milani, many nieces and nephews, and her loving family at the Sheyenne Care Center.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, 11 siblings, and a daughter-in-law, Cathy Jahn.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be directed to the Sheyenne Care Center or a charity of choice in Betty’s memory.
An online guest register is available at lerudschult.com.