Betty Mae Claussen, 74, of Albert Lea, died Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007, at the Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, at Round Prairie Lutheran Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. Tammy Dahlvang will officiate. Interment will be at the Round Prairie Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Betty Mae Claussen was born on June 24, 1933, to Wilhelm (Willie) and Lillian (Nagel) Flaskerud in Freeman Township. She was baptized, confirmed and married at Round Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Glenville where she has been a member for all but eight years of her life. Betty was active in the church as a Sunday school teacher, circle and other activities. She was a member and an adult leader of the Freeman 4-H club for many years. Betty attended District 47 and graduated from Albert Lea High school in 1951. She married Dar Claussen on June 29, 1952. Betty was employed at Wilson & Co. as a secretary, National Foods as a cashier, Mead Containers and Weyerhauser/IPI as an office manager where she retired in 1998. Betty enjoyed cheering on her children and grandchildren&8217;s teams at football, volleyball and softball games especially in Glenville-Emmons and Maple Island. She also loved watching them show their livestock at the Freeborn County Fair. Betty enjoyed bowling on both her ladies and mixed doubles leagues. She also enjoyed her &8220;chat time&8221; with lifelong neighbors and friends, Florence and Donna Palmer. Betty also enjoyed fishing and her summer weekend pastime was attending stock car races.

Survivors include her loving husband of 55 years, Dar; children, Bonnie (Alan) Bakken of Albert Lea, David (Dawn) Claussen of Glenville, Donald (fianc/ Donna Nessett) Claussen of Braidwood, Ill., and Brian Claussen of Northwood, Iowa; grandchildren, Andrew (Jody) Bakken, Amber (Jamie) Jensen, Jessica (fianc/ Matt Webb) Claussen, Caleb Claussen and Jordan Claussen, Christopher Claussen, Jeremiah VanRiper, Thaddeus VanRiper, Nicole Claussen, and Brooke Claussen; 13 great-grandchildren; brothers, Lloyd (Rosemary) Flaskerud, and Gene (Ruth) Flaskerud, brothers-in-law, Forrest (Gretchen) Claussen and Dell (June) Claussen; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law, brother and sister-in-law, Dick and Donna Claussen; nephews, Douglas, John and Terry Claussen.

Betty was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she will leave a huge void in her family and will be greatly missed, but we know she is in a better place &8212; in Jesus&8217; arms.