Betty Jo (Rogers) Niebruegge, 96, of New Franklin, passed away December 19, 2022 at The Bluffs in Columbia.

Betty was born on December 30, 1925, in New Franklin, a daughter of Stanley “Hawkshaw” Rogers and Anna Laura Williams Rogers.  She graduated from New Franklin High School in 1942. In 1943 she moved to St. Louis and helped in the war effort working in Quickmill Defense Plant and returned to New Franklin in 1945 where she was employed as a telephone operator. She met her future husband, Herbert “Herb” Niebruegge on his first day home from serving in the Navy in 1946 and they were engaged on Christmas Day in 1946. They married on May 21, 1947 in Lone Elm.  Betty and Herb enjoyed hosting many family Thanksgiving dinners and Labor Day barbeques while living in Columbia on Bourn Avenue until moving back to New Franklin in 1983.  Betty retired 1984 after thirty-five years as a GTE telephone operator.

Betty was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Boonville. She was a participant in CBS Bible Study in Columbia for twenty-five years traveling to Columbia weekly for her Bible study group. Betty was always on the go. She was known as the Banana Lady, spending many years ministering to area nursing home residents by delivering bananas to the residents, which they enjoyed, and praying with and reading to the residents.  She also kept active delivering meals on wheels for the local senior center.

Survivors include her daughter, Nancy J. Hayes and husband, Mike of Harrisburg; a sister-in-law, Marilyn Rogers of Boonville; a grandson, Scott Robinson of Aiken, SC; and by nieces and nephews, Beverly Rogers, Shirley Lenz, Mike (Debbie) Lenz, James (Pam) Lenz, Kathy (Greg) Tebbenkamp, Dennis (Jean) Lenz as well as numerous great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Niebruegge; a son, Roger Niebruegge; a brother, Jerry Rogers; two sisters-in-law, Earlene Niebruegge and Elsie Lenz (Eldon); a brother-in-law, William “LeRoy” Niebruegge; a nephew, David Lenz and a great-nephew, Andrew Lenz.

Services honoring Betty’s life will be at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, December 27 at Markland-Yager Funeral Home in New Franklin with Rev. Paul Weisenborn officiating.  Visitation will be an hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Burial will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in New Franklin.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Coyote Hill Children’s Home or The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri.

Condolences may be shared at www.marklandyager.com.