Betty J. Bruntz Gillaspie Kort June 15, 1926 to March 9, 2018

Hastings resident Betty J. Bruntz Gillaspie Kort, 91, passed away Friday, March 9, 2018, at her home.  Betty J. was born June 15, 1926, to Alexander and Elizabeth (Reiber) Bruntz on a farm just west of Hastings. She was the fourth of five children. She attended District #24 Grade School,  and graduated from Hastings High School in 1943.While working as a secretary for Tooley Bros. Insurance & Realty in Hastings she met William Gillaspie. She and William married Feb. 20, 1949 and the next year they moved to Montana, Daughters Vicki Lee and Nancy Jo were born in Havre, MT before the family moved to Cut Bank, MT. Betty worked for Blomstrom Insurance & Realty in Cut Bank. Bill and Betty moved to Ft. Shaw, MT in 1972 where Betty was active in the Fairfield Home Extension Club. William Gillaspie passed away in February 1979.

Betty moved back to Hastings in October 1982. She met Eugene Kort and they were married on May 28, 1983. They lived on a farm in Ayr before moving into Hastings during their retirement years. She was active in Christian Women’s Club, Original Betty Club, LeRoy Cheerful Works Extension Club.  She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, William Gillaspie; and brothers, Edward Bruntz, Robert Bruntz, and Donald Bruntz.

She is survived by her husband, Eugene Kort of Hastings; daughters and spouses, Vicki and Roger Janssen of Moorpark, CA, Nancy and Jerry Knauff of Great Falls, MT; step-children and spouses, Pamela and Tom Johnson of Blue Hill, Daniel and JoAnn Kort of El Centro, CA, Gary and the late Paula Kort of Lincoln, Randal and Barsha Kort of Ayr; sister, Shirley and the late Bernie Chrapkowski of Grand Island; 20 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren.

Services were Wednesday, March 14, at Faith Lutheran Church in Hastings with Pastor Paul Dunbar officiating. Burial was in Parkview Cemetery in Hastings.