Betty Jeanne (Moring) Knight

     On June 16, 2023, our precious mother, grandmother, and great grandmother Betty  was unexpectedly called to the place that Jesus had prepared for her.  She died peacefully at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, Montana.  She had been living in Great Falls with her daughter and her husband since January.

     Betty Jeanne (Moring) Knight was born February 24, 1931 to David and Anna (Bakken) Backstrom in Fargo,ND.  The family lived in the Prosper, ND area where she attended school for the first 5 years.  In 1943 they moved to the Mapleton, ND school district where she graduated in May, 1949. From about the age of 3 music factored deeply in her life.  From singing in community activities such as bond drives during WWII, she was active in school choir, band and eventually studied voice at the Concordia Conservatory of Music for 8 plus years.  Betty attended Interstate Business College and worked at Moody's Department Store and Northwestern Bell before her marriage to Albert Moring. 

     Al and Betty were married March 1, 1952 and shortly thereafter embarked on an Alaska adventure as Al worked for the Alaska Road Commission. Their time there was filled with awesome adventures and the stories held our attention and we always wanted to hear more!  Their family expanded during their time there and Thomas and David were both born in Fairbanks.  In 1956 they moved back to the Fargo-Moorhead area where Rebecca and Julie joined the family.  Betty was a stay at home mom and worked from sun up to sun down loving and serving her family. 

     In 1969 the family moved to Billings, MT and in 1971 on to Casper, WY where Betty still lived.  Her beloved Al died in 1978 which necessitated Betty to find a job.  She worked at Wyoming Machinery for a short time and then she worked for Dr. Bruce Johnson.  During that time she met her second husband, David Knight.  They were married in August 1981.  Again a short time later Betty found herself a widow.  In 1986 she began working for Dr. Jerry Larsen where she continued on for over 10 years.  Betty was extremely social and loved people and she never met a stranger!

     Faith was the foundational structure in her life always.  She was so blessed to have been born into a Christian family and her faith in the Lord Jesus is what carried her for her 92 years of life.  She had been an active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for over 50 years and was the unofficial greeter each Sunday morning.  She served in many capacities at POP. Betty loved her Lord, her family, her church, studying God's word and helping others.

     Music was deep in her soul and throughout her life sang at weddings, funerals, church choirs and everyday had a song in her heart.  She loved Christian music and in her later years loved country music and would have her tapes playing every minute of every day very LOUDLY!  She always said that she didn't know what she would do without her music.  We trust that she has already taken her place in the angelic chorus!

     Betty also loved to travel especially to Alaska.  She loved to garden, plant flowers, read,  do crosswords and decorate her home for the holidays. Her greatest love was her family and she was a very devoted wife, mother, grandmother and  great-grandmother.  She loved her family more than words could express.  That included her Prince of Peace family and her many friends!

     Betty was the last surviving member of her family as she was preceded in death by her parents and 4 siblings.  She was also greeted in heaven by her two husbands, Al & David;  her son, David;  two grandsons, Jeffrey & Evan; her grandson-in-law, Jack;  and too many family and friends to list.

     Carrying on her legacy here are her children, Thomas (MeriEsther), Rebecca (Michael) and Julie (Ken), Daughter-in-law Kim, stepson Sam (Gail), 11 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren.

     Memorials are requested to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Vision Beyond Borders or Wyoming Rescue Mission.

     There will be a viewing at Bustards on Wednesday, July 5 from 4-6pm.  Burial will be at Highland Cemetery on Thursday, July 6 at 9:30am.  A Celebration of her Life will follow the burial at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church at 11:00am with a luncheon to follow.