Elizabeth A. Hafferman

Elizabeth A. (“Betty Ann”) Hafferman, 94 of Libby, died Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

She was born Oct. 5, 1929 in Conrad, Montana to Archie Howard Munson and Anna Hilda Alzheimer. She was the oldest of eight children.

Betty Ann grew up in Collins, Montana and later the family moved to Lubec, near East Glacier along the Rocky Mountain front where her father was stationed with the Forest Service.

She often spoke fondly of the summers she and her sister Grace spent working at Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park and the times her Uncle Paul would come fetch the girls at the end of those summers to help out at the family farm near Dutton.

She graduated from Choteau High School, attended college in Billings and later moved to Missoula where she worked as a telephone operator for Ma Bell.

While working in Missoula, she met William “Bill” Hafferman on Oct. 5, 1950. Bill enlisted in the Navy in July of 1951 and they were married two months later on Oct. 6 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Choteau.

In July 1952 they welcomed their first son William Charles “Chuck.” Second son Brian was born in 1955 while they were stationed at Miramar Naval base in San Diego. In 1956, they returned to Libby to help run the family business – Hafferman’s Thrift where they welcomed their third son Craig (1957) and daughter Anne (1959).

Betty was a devoted mother and homemaker, Cub Scout den mother, CCD teacher at St. Joseph’s Catholic church in Libby and served on the Deanery for the Diocese of Helena. She was known throughout the neighborhood for her peanut butter cookies and many family members to this day enjoy her infamous pumpkin bread/muffin recipe.

Betty loved to grow roses and also to give them on special occasions to family and friends. She and Bill enjoyed many trips to some of their favorite beaches along the Oregon Coast. She was a prayer warrior, who devotedly said the rosary daily for her family and believed that “family is the most important thing.”

She is preceded in death by her husband Bill, parents Archie and Anna Munson, and siblings Grace, Lewis, Robert and Sandra.

Survivors include sisters Kathy and Paulette and brother Steve; sons Chuck (Donna) of Cresco, Pennsylvania, Brian of Libby, Craig (Margaret) of Minneapolis; daughter Anne Stefani (Dick) of Bozeman; and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and Godchildren.

Mass of the resurrection will be celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18.

Visitation will be 1-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 with Parish Vigil and Rosary at 7 p.m. at Schnackenberg Funeral Home chapel in Libby. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.