Obituary for
Betty Luchtman Anderson
Betty Luchtman Anderson, 98, passed away peacefully November 3rd at her daughter’s home, with Gretchen and Steve at her side.
Born April 17, 1918 in Michigan City, Indiana, the daughter of Roy and Gertrude Dick Luchtman. She graduated in 1937 from Elston Senior High School, Michigan City, IN and received her RN license from Loyola University Nursing School, Chicago. Returning to Michigan City, Betty worked as a Red Cross Nurse, attending to many families in the poorer areas of the city.
Betty then worked as an industrial nurse at Kingsbury Ordinance factory where she was recruited by the FBI as an inside agent during this important time prior to WW II. In November 1942, Betty volunteered for active duty as an Air Transport Command/Medical Air Evacuation Squadron Army Nurse. During World War II, she served throughout the Pacific Theater flying into recently recaptured islands to fly seriously wounded back to Hawaii and then others from Hawaii to San Francisco, reaching the rank of First Lieutenant. Betty was proud of her service as one of only 640 air evacuation nurses in WW II, and was a charter member of the Women’s War Memorial in Washington, DC. Betty was truly one of the last of the Greatest Generation, and we who knew her are so proud to call her our mom, aunt, friend, and hero.
In 1947 she married Elston High School classmate Lester H. Anderson. They had 65 wonderful years together prior to Lester’s death in 2011. Betty was the loving mother of Gretchen A. Martin (Steve) of Bloomington, IN and Kurt R. Anderson (deceased in 2010) of Aspen Colorado.
Following the war she spent many years in different aspects of nursing and then finished her successful nursing career as Administrator of Red Oaks Nursing Home in Michigan City, Indiana. She was very proud of her many years of service to Service League in Michigan City. She was a member of St Andrews Episcopal Church and Tri Kappa. Her family always came first and she provided a warm and nurturing home life for her husband and children.
Betty and Les retired to Scottsdale, Arizona, where they lived an enjoyable retirement, surrounded by friends, from 1980 until 2004, when they moved to Bloomington and Meadowood Retirement Center. In her retirement she continued a lifelong passionate interest in travel, friends and family, and service to others. She was involved in bridge clubs, Gamma Associate Chapter of Tri Kappa and Sorosis Club in Bloomington. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church.
Her parents, husband Les, son Kurt and brother William R. Luchtman preceded her in death. She will be missed greatly by all who knew and cared for her, as much as she cared for them.
A memorial service will take place on Saturday, November 19th at 1:00 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bloomington. Final internment will be in Greenwood Cemetery in Michigan City, Indiana at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family will honor Betty’s wishes that any donation be made in her name to The Second Century Fund of Trinity Episcopal Church, 111 S. Grant Street, Bloomington IN 47408
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