Betty Jane Jimison

Betty was born on November 20, 1934 at a farm house in Savage, MT to Harold & Lilly Lapp. Betty grew up on her parents' farm outside of Fallon and attended Hatchet Creek School up to the 8th grade before graduating from Terry High School in 1952. Betty Lapp married Norman Jimison on July 4, 1953 in Glendive. Betty has two children; a daughter named Sheryl and a son named Mark. Betty has 6 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Betty was an avid animal lover and had many beloved pets including an Amazon parrot named Peter, her companion dog named Peanuts, and her last companion dog named Minnie Pearl just to name a few. Betty was an incredibly hard worker! During her life, she was a bank teller and a bartender and cook at the Fallon Feedlot Bar and the Lazy JD Bar as well as the Long Horn Supper Club in Fallon. She was a sugar beet haul truck driver, field laborer, farm hand, cutting horse trainer, sausage maker and butcher, commercial gardener, bookkeeper for Jimison & Son Drilling Company, and housewife. With her husband, she co-owned a small rodeo arena at their farm where Betty, Norm, and their son, Mark, rodeoed until the horses got too fast to catch. Betty and Norm ran a butcher shop and meat packing business called Hatchet Creek Pack. Betty also worked tirelessly as a professional commercial gardener at her business called Jimison Gardens. Betty was a prolific and talented crafts person who eventually became a professional artist working with her husband to create carved wood relief paintings, guitars, and violins. Her works of art sold for thousands of dollars. Betty loved country music, she often played back-up on keyboard for Norm’s fiddle playing. They spent many years playing in nursing homes and retirement homes bringing joy to people who loved old-time country western music. Betty would go on adventures with Norm but liked to stay close to home. They visited Hawaii, rode motorcycles to California and Yellowstone National Park, and traveled in their RV to see grandkids and family in Wyoming, Washington, and throughout Montana. Betty's favorite hobby was growing beautiful flowers, but she also liked leather working, embroidery, sewing, and many other crafts which she enjoyed making with her mother, Lilly. The two of them created many concrete cast sculptures and critters for their elaborate rock gardens. Betty and Lilly were the best of friends, maybe only closer to Betty, was her daughter Sherry. They were almost never apart. Producing and making food was always a big part of Betty’s life. She was one of the greatest cooks in ten counties! She loved sweet corn, Romanesco broccoli, red potatoes, German salads, pork chops, summer sausage, fried chicken and cherry pie. She also enjoyed the fish fry parties her and Norm hosted for friends and family during the summers. Even though she had an infectious laugh, and non-stop smile, Betty was a strong and tough woman. She made it through cancer, a broken back, graves’ disease, and even Norm Jimison! Eventually, dementia ravaged her beautiful mind, and the cancer returned. Her suffering was finally over, and she was taken home on September 1, 2024. A Life Tribute Service will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, September 19, 2024 at the Silha Funeral Home in Glendive with Celebrant Heidi Carney officiating. Interment will follow in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery in Glendive. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements. Remembrances and condolences can be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.

Betty Jane Jimison

November 20, 1934 - September 1, 2024

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Betty Jane Jimison

November 20, 1934 - September 1, 2024

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support