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Obituary: Alan S. Betts


Alan S. Betts, 72, of Sturgeon Bay, passed away Saturday, November 21, 2015, at Ministry Door County Medical Center. The Betts family would like to extend a special “thank you” to the Sturgeon Bay Cancer Center and Dr. Groteluschen.

He was born June 8, 1943, in Sturgeon Bay, the son of the late Alan Eugene and Charlotte (Schuyler) Betts. Due to his father’s work, the family moved to South Milwaukee where Alan would graduate from Bay View High School in 1961. Alan enlisted for four years serving our country with the United States Coast Guard. On May 15, 1971, he married Sandra May Schuessler.

Alan and Sandy owned and operated the Ziebart Rustproofing Business in the Janesville area for 30 years. He and Sandy also owned the Door Belle gift shop in Egg Harbor. They retired to Door County full-time in 1996.

Alan enjoyed motor boating, RVing and traveling, riding motorcycles, particularly Harleys, and solving Sudoku and crossword puzzles. He was a voracious reader, learning about history, and he especially loved the water and boating on it, and valued the beauty of sunrises. Alan’s love of history and the water was supported by a longtime family maritime connection to Door County. His great-grandfather was William C. Betts, the Pottawatomie Lighthouse Keeper on Rock Island, starting in 1872. William was appointed to the lighthouse following his service in the Civil War. Al’s father was a tug boat Captain for the City of Milwaukee and had worked on the Mackinaw Bridge construction.

Survivors include his dear wife, Sandra of Sturgeon Bay; two children, Alan “Sky” (Kathy) Betts of Grand Haven, MI, Dawn (Darren) Marsh of Stoughton, WI; six grandchildren, Bryce and Casey Marsh, Calvin, Schuyler, Spencer, and Connor Betts.

A celebration of Alan’s life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 28, 2015, at Huehns Funeral Home in Sturgeon Bay. Military honors will follow.

Friends may call at Huehns Funeral Home on Saturday after 1:00 p.m. until the time of service at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Alan’s memory.

Condolences and guestbook signing may be offered at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.

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