Betty Jane Zaroban

Betty Jane Cherry was born April 19, 1928 to Orval Cherry and Adelaide Upson Cherry at their farm home outside Valentine, Nebraska, the youngest of three children. She lived on the family farm until she started high school. Her parents moved to town in 1943. Her older brother, Dick, loved to say she was "the only girl and spoiled rotten," but a hard-working farm life did not lend itself to spoiling anyone. She attended the Lincoln General School of Nursing in Lincoln, Nebraska, and gained her Registered Nurse diploma in 1949. She worked as a nurse in Hastings and Valentine, NE. Betty married Donald Gordan Zaroban on October 15, 1949 at the Methodist Church in Valentine, Nebraska. To that marriage were born 4 children: Donald William, Richard Cherry, Lawrence Gene and Jean Elizabeth. There were two defining events in her life: removal of a malignant spinal tumor in 1958, which made her a paraplegic and accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior in 1964. From the first event, she was left with constant pain, and she learned to persevere, to do what had to be done. From the second, she learned that she could depend on Someone else to help her get through each day, and that there was hope for tomorrow. Betty and Don moved to Loveland, Colorado in 1998, just two weeks before his death. She moved to the Loveland Good Samaritan Village in 2001. She never lost her love of Nebraska football, remaining a Big Red fan until her death on February 21, 2012 at Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado. Betty loved to fish, crochet, read, watch football and bake. She was well-known for her baking, especially her cinnamon rolls. She was interested in learning new things throughout her life, including learning how to use a computer, and a Kindle for reading. In her years at Good Samaritan, she became an encouragement to many others. She was preceded in death by her brother, Dick in WWII; both parents, brother, William; and husband, Don. She is survived by Don and Bonnie Zaroban of Boise, Idaho, Richard and Lori Zaroban of Olathe, Kansas, Larry and Sherri Zaroban of Arvada, Colorado, and Jean and Jerry Hall of Loveland, Colorado; 11 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren, with 2 more on the way. Betty could say with the Apostle Paul that "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Memorial contributions may be made to Good Samaritan Society, Loveland Village or Olathe Medical Center Hospice House in Olathe, Kansas or to share a memory or send a card please send in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524. A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday at Good Samaritan Chapel, 2101 S. Garfield in Loveland. A Private Interment will be held at Green Mountain Cemetery in Boulder, Colorado.