Betty Nies

With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Betty Jean Nies, who left us peacefully on September 2, 2025, surrounded by family and love. Her warmth, laughter, and kindness will live on in all who knew her.

Betty was born on April 24, 1930, on a farm in Bowdle, South Dakota, to William and Katherine Thurn. Her parents both lived long and full lives, and Betty proudly celebrated her 95th birthday earlier this year with friends and family.
She is preceded in death by her husband, George; her sisters, Lillian and Violet; and her brother, Don. She is survived by her three children. William (Bill), Peter (Tom), and Peggy, as well as nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Growing up on the family farm, Betty loved working outdoors alongside her father, where her lifelong passion for plants and nature began. She attended a small country school until ninth grade and graduated from high school with a class of just four students. Afterward, she worked in Aberdeen, South Dakota, for a national hardware company and the Social Security Office.
In 1948, Betty married George Nies. George's teaching career first took them to Greeley, Colorado, with their sons Bill and Tom, before they moved to San Diego, California. They settled first in Clairemont and later in Pacific Beach, where their daughter Peggy was born. In their later years, Betty and George moved to Palm Springs, where they enjoyed horseback riding with Los Compadres, playing tennis, hosting potlucks and game nights, and taking family vacations with their children and grandchildren.
Betty was an excellent tennis player, baker, cook, and homemaker. Even into her 90s, she remained devoted to her church and community, feeding the homeless and knitting hundreds of caps for those in need.
In her later years, Betty lived in her condo in La Jolla Shores, where she enjoyed daily walks along the boardwalk and watching beach volleyball games. Recently, she returned to South Dakota for a family reunion and spent cherished time in Java and Bowdle at her family's home.
Betty was truly an angel on earth with a heart of gold. Her generosity, faith, and radiant spirit touched everyone she met. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered with love

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