Betty Ann Ristow Chance

Our family celebrates the life of Betty Ann Ristow Chance, who peacefully passed away at home on December 8, 2025 at 97 years old.

Born on June 16, 1928 in La Crosse, WI, Betty was the youngest of the nine children born to Arthur Ristow and Stella (Tryggestad) Ristow. She grew up in the small town of Genoa, WI, and lived with an older sister while attending and graduating from Viroqua WI High School in 1946. Betty then graduated from a Cosmetology School in La Crosse and worked in that position for several years. She once styled the hair of Vivien Leigh, explaining why Gone with the Wind was her favorite movie.

Betty married her brother Glen’s best friend, whom Betty met when she was 13 and basically grew up with him like another brother. When Harry Jack Chance returned from military service after the war, he and Betty started dating and were married on June 10, 1950 in Stoddard, WI. They moved to Albert Lea, MN for Harry’s job as a lineman for Dairyland Power. They raised four children there: two girls, the oldest aged three when the twin boys were born. Betty’s faith ensured all were active in church and she supported all their school activities. Betty was a housewife until the boys started high school. She then got a job in a factory when her best friend dragged her along to apply for a position. She was unexpectedly hired and then worked there for over six years.

Betty loved to travel. Starting in the 1960’s, she and Harry made annual trips out west with friends. She was a veteran “snow bird” spending a dozen winters in an RV in Arizona with Harry and their dogs, Jacque and Jadoo and Koal. Since Harry’s death in 2004, Betty and her daughters took a half-dozen cruises to the Caribbean, Panama, and Alaska and several bus tour excursions, all of which Betty especially enjoyed. In her late 80’s, Betty was still excited to go cross-country camping after her oldest daughter retired. Betty was an excellent and amiable traveling companion. She was very good at reading maps and navigation -- but not so much once smart phones took over this function.

Betty and Harry were married 53 years when Harry passed away in 2004. At that time, Betty moved from Albert Lea to River Falls to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Lanny Saumer. She spent the winters living with her daughter Sheila in South Carolina. In 2009, Betty and Sheila moved to Apache Junction, Arizona. Betty then spent April-October with Karen in Wisconsin and the winter months in Arizona. Betty had the best of both worlds and enjoyed two sets of family and friends. After selling the Arizona home in 2022, at age 94, Betty moved full-time with Karen in River Falls.

Betty had many hobbies and favorite things to do. Harry and Betty had a lake place at Elm Island for years and then spent many weekends at Amery Lake. She and Harry liked to play golf, even if it was a makeshift course in a cow pasture in Arizona. Betty was an avid reader. She loved playing cards, especially cribbage, doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and playing Scrabble and a dominoes game. Betty was in excellent health for almost all of her 97 years. She was also blessed with no loss of cognitive function.

Betty is survived by her four children, with whom she kept in close touch: Sheila Chance in South Carolina, Karen Saumer and Darrel Chance in River Falls, WI, and David Chance in Mesa, AZ. She loved and enjoyed time with her nine grandchildren: Brandon Saumer, Shane (Beth) Saumer, Travis (Annah) Saumer, all in River Falls, WI, Wade (Deborah) Chance, Wesley (Diana) Chance, Clint (April) Chance, all in Minnesota, Darrin (Anna) Chance in Massachusetts, Sarah Lane (Walt) Lawrence in North Carolina, and Corey Trump in South Carolina. Betty is also survived by 19 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorials be directed to Luther Memorial Church in River Falls or Betty’s favorite charity St Judes Children’s Research Hospital.

Arrangements are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of River Falls. For more information or to share a memory, please visit www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com or call 715-425-5644.