Betty Louise Hanson

Betty Louise Hanson, 83, of Harlowton, Montana, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026. She would have celebrated her 84th birthday this October. Betty was born October 30, 1942, in Lewistown, Montana, the first child of John and Ida Mae (Gray) Brown. In 1943, the family moved to Harlowton when her father began working for the Milwaukee Railroad, and it remained her beloved home for the rest of her life.

Betty welcomed her sister, Donna Mae, in 1944, and in 1948 her baby brother, David. She loved to tell the story of how she wasn’t too sure about another baby at first—but once Dave arrived, he became her baby, and she didn’t want anyone else around him. That story reflected the deep love she always had for her siblings. Betty graduated from Harlowton High School in 1960 and shortly after married Howard Hanson. They spent a short time in Checkerboard, Montana early in their marriage, a time she always spoke of fondly, before returning to Harlowton. Together they welcomed two daughters, Debbie in 1964 and Terry in 1966.

Over the years, Betty worked in several cafés in town, but her time at the Graves Hotel Coffee Shop held some of her most cherished memories. She later went on to work in the Harlowton school kitchen, where she worked from 1972 until her life-threatening medical emergency—a burst brain aneurysm—which required an emergency flight to Seattle and critical surgery. She later underwent a second brain surgery to prevent another aneurysm from rupturing. Doctors said very few people survive what Betty endured. True to her strength, she returned to work at the school, this time as a teacher’s aide, where she continued working until her retirement. She truly was a walking miracle. Many loved to tease her about spending so many years in school, and she always enjoyed a good laugh about it.

Betty lost her husband, Howard Hanson, in 1983. She later shared 37 years with her partner, Dave Fochs, whom she lost on January 2 of this year.

Betty enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, and was an avid reader. Most of all, she loved her family. She took great pride in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was always ready to share stories and photos of them. She also enjoyed going to coffee at the Senior Center with her friends and, in recent years, cherished the fellowship of her many friends at her beloved Wesleyan Church. If you called her home and Dave answered, he would often say she was “out making her rounds.”

Betty often said that Harlowton was the best place in the world to live, and she spent her life surrounded by family, friends, and community.

Betty is survived by her daughters Debbie (Ed) Lauby of Lexington, Nebraska, Terry Ramsdell of Harlowton and Lynne Fochs of Stockton, CA; seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; one brother, David (Gwen) Brown and their children Brandy and Shawn Suda and a very special nephew, Jason Herman.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Howard Hanson; her partner, Dave Fochs and her sister, Donna Mae Herman.

Betty will be deeply missed by her family and her many friends, including many lifelong friendships she held dear. Her memory will live on in the stories she shared, the love she gave, and the family she cherished so deeply.

Per Betty’s wishes, there will be no formal funeral. Family and friends are invited to attend a graveside service Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 1:00 at the Harlowton Cemetery, with a gathering to follow at the Wesleyan Church to share memories of our beloved Betty.

Memorials can be made to the Wesleyan Church or Harlowton Senior Citizens Center or the charity of your choice, and they may be left with the Perkins Funeral Home P.O. Box 313 Harlowton, MT 59036. The Perkins Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences for the family may be posted on-line at www.perkinsfuneralandcremation.com