Betty Price

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, Betty Jeanette Price, on August 19, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. She was 89 years old.

Betty Jeanette Albertsen was born on June 13, 1937, in Audubon, Iowa, to Harry and Rosa (Nelson) Albertsen. The eldest of four children, she was the quintessential Iowa farm girl. We will never forget listening to her stories about growing up on the farm, especially her “yarns” about walking 10 miles to school through 15-foot snowdrifts each day. No one could ever say the Albertsen's didn’t know how to tell a good story.

After graduating from Audubon High School in 1955, Betty became the first of the Albertsen clan to attend college. She graduated from Iowa State College–now Iowa State University–in 1959 with a degree in home economics education. She subsequently married Richard T. Fell, and they had two sons together, Michael (Carolina) Price and Jeffrey (Tracy) Fell. When the marriage ended, Betty returned to Ames, Iowa, where she met the man who would become her “rock,” LeRoy Dean Price.

Together, Betty and LeRoy created the classic “his, hers, and ours” family. LeRoy’s daughters, Gail (Glenn) Lewoczko and Maureen (Rick) Demmers, joined the fray, and Betty and LeRoy added two children of their own, Christopher (Amy) Price and Jonathan (Janelle) Price.

They raised the combined “herd” on the family farm in the hamlet of Gladstone–affectionately known as “Happy Rock”–just outside Tama, Iowa, until their child labor force left home and they moved to Keystone, Iowa. After 15 years in Keystone, they ultimately retired to Arizona, where they spent their sunset years.

Betty was actively involved in 4-H for much of her life, reflecting her commitment to family, community, education, and helping young people grow. She was also a trailblazer for women in the work force, working in a statistics lab at Iowa State in the '60s. She loved life, treasured her many friendships, and took enormous pride in her children and grandchildren.

In addition to her six children, Betty is survived by her sister, Dorothy Mae (Bill) Hawkes, 16 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy; her parents; her sister Harriet (Les) Spanel; and her brother Franklin (Becky) Albertsen.

We will miss our mother’s stories, her enthusiasm for life, the pride she took in her family, and the love she shared so generously. Although no funeral service is planned, our immediate family will gather at a future date to remember her, share stories, and celebrate a life filled with family, friendship, laughter, and love.

In lieu of flowers or donations, we would love nothing more than to receive an email sharing your favorite story or memory of Betty. Emails can be sent to jeffreys.fell@gmail.com.