A LEGISLATIVE COMMEMORATION, honoring and remembering the life of Betty Lou Kost.

WHEREAS, Betty Lou was born on March 11, 1933, to Jack and Alberta Strong near Glad Valley, SD, and left this world on September 6, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lou loved her family and the family ranching and farming operation, and was a partner in the operation her entire life; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lou lost her husband Anton to a farm accident in 1987, when she was only fifty-four years old, but she continued to forge ahead as the director for the Production Credit Association, and was presented the South Dakota Pioneering Spirit Award in 1988; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lou was a teacher for forty-eight years, was honored as the National NAIA Teacher of the Year in 1993, and retired from teaching in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lou loved the sport of rodeo and donated countless buckles, awards, and sponsorships to rodeo across this state and wrote letters encouraging children to succeed and be proud of their accomplishments in rodeo; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lou knew the value of hard work, in and out of the rodeo arena, having passed those values on to her family, and was honored to be inducted into the Casey Tibbs Hall of Fame as a rodeo promoter in 2003; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lou lived with Parkinson's disease for fifteen years before her death, but never let it get her down, and continued to live her life with grit and determination until the very end, with her last words being "I loved what I did":

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT COMMEMORATED, by the Ninety-Seventh Legislature of the State of South Dakota, that the Legislature extends condolences to the family of Betty Lou Kost and honors and remembers her remarkable life.