Betty Lou (Holtz) Neal, the daughter of Erwin Holtz & Darlene (Gosda) Holtz (both deceased), was born September 3, 1940, near Shelton, Nebraska. She died peacefully at her home in Mesa, Arizona on August 1, 2024, at the age of 83.

Betty was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church (known as North Shelton) on September 22, 1940. She was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Shelton, Nebraska, on June 14, 1953. She graduated from Shelton High School in 1957. In 1983, she graduated summa cum laude from Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska.

On July 26, 1959, she was united in marriage to Denis Neal at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Shelton, Nebraska, and they made their home in Anchorage, Alaska. She was employed by the U. S. government in various agencies and locations, including Department of the Air Force at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, Travis AFB, Edwards AFB, and Mather AFB in California, Sheppard AFB, Texas and Offutt AFB, Nebraska; Department of Agriculture in Grand Island, Nebraska; Department of the Treasury, Omaha, Nebraska; as well as a few non-governmental positions; retiring from the U. S. Government Civil Service with over 34 years of service July 31, 1999.

After retiring, Betty and her husband Denis embarked on a new venture in music, entertaining at adult communities in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area and later at nursing/assisted living facilities in Nebraska, Iowa, and Arizona. They have been active in Mountain View Lutheran Church, Apache Junction, Arizona, since 2006.

She is survived by her husband Denis of Mesa, Arizona, son Scott of Bellevue, Nebraska, son Michael & wife Jane of Bellevue, Nebraska, daughter Susan & husband Jan Kozubski of Hanover, Maryland, five grandchildren (Andrew Neal & wife Makala, Daniel Neal & wife Karen, Ashley Neal, Brandon Kozubski & wife Katie, and Mikaela & Ibrahim Abuzaho), ten great-grandchildren, three sisters (Lois Milks of Shelton, Nebraska, Jan Blasingame of Kearney, Nebraska, and Kathi & her husband William Hoffman of Kearney, Nebraska) and one brother Dennis Holtz & his wife Gwen of Kearney, Nebraska, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents Erwin & Darlene Holtz, her sister Deloris Chetalet, and one infant grandchild Blaine Kozubski.