Betty Neff O'Neill, 97, of Rapid City, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at Monument Hospice House.

She was born April 23, 1923 near Humphries, MO to Earl and Blanche (Hamilton) Neet. In 1941 the family moved to Greeley, CO.  She married Ralph Neff on April 18, 1942. They came to Rapid City, SD in 1951 and started Ralph Neff Trucking. She was bookkeeper, dispatcher, log clerk and more.  They sold the business in 1974 because of Ralph's health. They purchased a motor home and traveled to northern USA States, then to Canada and Alaska that summer.  Ralph had a reoccurrence  of cancer that took his life in August 1975.

Betty joined the Benevolent Patriotic Order of Does of Rapid City Drove #33 in 1968, and later, after proceeding through the chairs, was President in 1977, and delegate to Grand Lodge Convention in West Palm Beach, Fl.  In 1984, after going through progressive chairs of the Grand Lodge each year, was elected Supreme President of the Benevolent Patriotic Order of Does of the United States in Charlotte, NC, and spent the year traveling to each State, District or Drove Status meetings, conducting the Grand Lodge meeting in 1985 in Lubbock, Tx. She remained an active member of the Executive Council until recent years.

On November 14, 1984, after completing her fall itinerary, she married Owen O'Neill in Alexandria, Va, and they returned home to Rapid City and were honored by a lovely wedding reception.  In January, she resumed her visits for her spring itinerary before her Grand Lodge Convention.

She and Owen wintered in Mesa, Az, from 1989 until his death, June, 1999.  Betty continued to drive back to Sun Life Park for the winter months, enjoying her friends and the warmth of the Valley of the Sun until after her 90th birthday celebration, and returned to Rapid City to live out the rest of her life. While in Mesa she was active in volunteer work at Sun Life Park, Sunshine Acres Children's Home, and collecting bears and other stuffed animals for the Mesa Police Department Victims of Violence. Her last place of residence in Rapid City was the Lodge at Echo Ridge, where she made many friends and continued her active lifestyle.

After her return to Rapid, using a family inheritance, she organized a family reunion every other year at Sylvan Lake, and paid for everyone's cabins.  It was a wonderful way to keep her family together. Through her vision and generosity, these reunions for Grammy's Fan Club will continue.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Rapid City, the National Mt. Rushmore Society, Life member of Rapid City Does Drove #33, Executive Counsel of the Grand Lodge and Elks Ladies Golf Association.

Her family and everyone that knew Betty will miss her smile, infectious laugh and love for life. She is survived by 3 children, Judy (Jon) Lehner of Rapid City, twins Margaret (Dick) Withey of Ft. Collins, Co, and Jerry (Louise) Neff of Crawford, Co, 2 step children, Owen P. (Ruth) O'Neill of Tacoma, Wa and Jean (Greg) of Olympia, Wa. Also 8 grandchildren and spouses, 11 step-grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren, and 9 step-great grandchildren.  Her parents, four brothers, Vic Neet, Don Neet, Bob Neet and Dick Neet and two sisters, Virginia Alexander and Peggy McMahan all proceeded her death.

A celebration of her life will be at a later date.