Betty Bruski Maus

Betty Jean (Lunder) Bruski Maus, age 78, of Port Orchard, Washington, formally of Wibaux, Montana, passed away on Sunday, March 25, 2007, of natural causes at Harrison Memorial Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 30, 2007, from 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. at the Chapel of the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home in Wibaux, Montana. A Vigil service will be held on Friday, March 30, 2007, at 7:00 P.M. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Wibaux. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 31, 2007, at 10:30 A.M. at St. Philips Catholic Church in St. Philips, Montana, with Father Dennis Schafer officiating and Father Denis Fournier as concelebrant. Rite of Committal will follow in St. Philips Cemetery. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Wibaux, Montana, is entrusted with arrangements. Betty was born on September 15, 1928, in Ekalaka, Montana, the daughter of Dave and Grace (Berry) Lunder. Along with her only sibling, Don Lunder, Betty spent her early years in the Willard, Ekalaka, and Baker farming communities. Her grandmother, Bertha Berry, ran the Berry House Hospital. Bertha was not a doctor, but she provided the only medical services for miles around. Betty began her high school studies in Baker and graduated from Wibaux County High School in 1944 at the top of her class. After helping her parents run the Lunder Café in Wibaux, Betty moved to Portland, Oregon, during World War II and worked as a teletypist with the Army Transport Corps for two years. In 1946, she returned to Wibaux. At a dance in St. Philips, Montana, she met the love of her life: a tall, dark, and handsome soldier, Jerome Bruski. They were married on February 28, 1946, and settled south of Wibaux to farm and ranch. They nurtured and brought up ten children. While Betty and Jerome were raising their family on the farm, Betty was always active in the community. She was the president of the Diocese of Great Falls (DCCW) and president of the Wibaux VFW Women’s Auxiliary. Betty was active in Wibaux County Schools and Cursillio - a retreat for Catholic men and women. At St. Philips Catholic Church, Betty taught CCD, played the organ, and headed the altar society. Betty was a member of the Board of Directors for the Wibaux County Nursing Home. She helped to found the Prairie Arts Council, and she was a member of Badlands Art Association. Betty maintained a Bernia Sewing Machine dealership for thirty years. She was the first dealer in the immediate tri-state area. After the passing of her husband, Jerome, Betty was elected senator for the 53rd Montana State Legislature. While in office, she married Ernest Maus of Golva, North Dakota, combining their family members to a total of twenty-two. Upon retiring from the Senate and her sewing machine business, Betty and Ernie began a new adventure: the Maus RV Campground in Wibaux. After Ernie’s passing in 2001, Betty moved to Washington State where five of her children reside in the Seattle area. Betty loved to travel. She was an active member of the Over the Hill Gang and a member of the Art Club in Puyallup, Washington. She taught art classes at the Puyallup Senior Center, played drums earning herself the nickname "Betty Boom-Boom", played the piano, was a well-accomplished artist, a seamstress, and a computer "geek," and she especially enjoyed researching her Norwegian ancestry. Most of all, Betty enjoyed being a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Her faith was the foundation and a rock for her family. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Dave and Grace Lunder; her first and second husbands respectively, Jerome B. Bruski and Ernest Maus; her daughter, Grace Bruski; her brother, Don Lunder on January 18, 2007; her eldest child, Bruce Bruski on March 9, 2007. Betty is survived by her children, Bev Boggs (Doug) of Port Orchard, Washington; Cherie Roshau (Ken) of Dickinson, North Dakota; Victoria Pregenzer (John) of Puyallup, Washington; Jacqueline Levenseller (Philip) of Silverdale, Washington; Michelle Dumpert (Dave) of Silverdale, Washington; Bill Bruski of Dennison, Texas; Tom Bruski (Melissa) of Bothell, Washington; Gregory Bruski (Deb) of Williston, North Dakota; her step-children, Wayne Gamroth (Alma) of Black Hawk, South Dakota; Dan Maus (Sarah) of Beach, North Dakota; Dale Maus (Karen) of Sentinel Butte, North Dakota; Don Maus (Patsy) of Golva, North Dakota; Doug Maus (Sherry) of Dickinson, North Dakota; Pam Clark of Bismark, North Dakota; Karen Metcalf (Ron) of Sidney, Montana; Brenda Morman (Aaron) of Wahpeton, North Dakota; Alane Barthel (Don) of Wright, Wyoming; Tammy Nistler (Perry) of Golva, North Dakota; fifteen grandchildren; and numerous step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

Betty Bruski Maus

September 15, 1928 - March 31, 2007

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Betty Bruski Maus

September 15, 1928 - March 31, 2007

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support