Betty Lou (Soll) Schwarzkopf, 90, of Adel died at the Dallas County Hospital in Perry, Iowa, March 5, 2019, six days shy of her 91st birthday. Betty was born March 11, 1928, in LaPorte City, Iowa, in Black Hawk County.
Betty is survived by her six children, including Chuck (Cathy) Schwarzkopf, Jan (Jay) Pattee, Jim (Renee) Schwarzkopf, Jeff (Patty) Schwarzkopf, Cheryl (Ken) Mikuls and Craig (Heather) Schwarzkopf. Betty is survived by 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Betty is also survived by her two brothers, Dr. Donald Soll and Dr. Robert Soll.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 65 years, Philip “Chick” Schwarzkopf; her parents, Walter and Blanche (Johnson) Soll; and infant grandson, Grant Michael Pattee.
As a young woman, Betty graduated from Waldorf College with a degree in teaching. She taught fifth grade for three years in Lake View, Iowa, where her heart was stolen by a young baseball player named Chick.
After marriage, they moved to Rantoul, Ill., where Chick served in the U.S. Air Force.
With two children in tow, Betty and Chick put down roots in Adel, where they began their career as variety store owners and community members. The couple operated several Ben Franklin stores throughout a 50-year career, starting with the flagship store in Adel.
Betty was heavily involved in the community with her six children as a Camp Fire and Cub Scout leader for many years. Betty’s home was a revolving door of her children’s classmates, friends, acquaintances and a multitude of foreign-exchange students from a variety of countries. These included “adopted” sons, Abe Camacho and Juan Pozo from Bolivia.
After suffering a brain aneurysm in 2013 while playing bridge with her good friends, Betty recovered miraculously and continued to create great memories in the last years of her life.
In recent years, Betty’s favorite advice to her grandchildren was, “When you’re 90 years old, you get to eat dessert first.”
Betty lived her life fully and never missed a chance for a party with friends and family.
Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 9 at St. John’s Catholic Church, 24043 302nd Place in Adel, with burial following at the Oakdale Cemetery in Adel. The family will greet friends at St. John’s Friday, March 8 from 3-5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be addressed to the Adel Public Library, 303 S. 10th Street, Adel, IA 50003 or the Perry Lutheran Homes Spring Valley Campus, 501 12th St., Perry, IA 50220. Online condolences will be welcomed at IlesCares.com.
