Betty Jean Ellerhoff

Betty Jean (Manning) Ellerhoff

June 1, 1958 – May 8, 2026

Betty Jean Ellerhoff, age 67, of Washington, Iowa, entered eternity on Friday, May 8, 2026, while under the care of Washington County Hospital.

A time to honor and celebrate Betty’s life will be held from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2026, at Fry Funeral Home in Tipton. Family and friends are invited to gather, share memories, and offer support. The family welcomes all who knew and loved Betty to attend. A private family interment at Tipton Masonic Cemetery will follow the visitation.

Betty, daughter of Sherman Dale and Sarah Louella (Wiese) Manning, was born on June 1, 1958, in Maquoketa, Iowa. She attended Tipton Community Schools from kindergarten through fifth grade and later graduated from West Branch High School with the Class of 1976.

On September 30, 1978, Betty was united in marriage to Norman Ellerhoff at Rochester United Methodist Church. Together they were blessed with two children, Adam and Amber. Betty cherished her family above all else and considered her children to be her greatest accomplishment in life.

Betty enjoyed cooking and baking, traveling, reading, scrapbooking, and digitizing family photographs. She loved listening to classic country and Christian music and was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes football fan. Betty treasured the many friendships she developed throughout her life and hoped to be remembered as a kind, caring, and loving person who treated others the way she wished to be treated.

Betty devoted much of her professional career to public service. She began working in the Cedar County Auditor’s Office as a clerk and eventually served as Cedar County Auditor. She also served one term as a Cedar County Supervisor and spent four months serving as Acting Cedar County Assessor. Additional professional roles included serving as Treasurer and Finance Director for the City of West Branch, Accounting Specialist for the former University of Iowa Community Credit Union, and Finance Manager for the Cedar, Clinton, and Muscatine Agricultural Extension Districts until her retirement in October of 2017.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband of 47 years, Norman Ellerhoff of Washington, Iowa; son, Adam (Rhiannon) Ellerhoff of Tipton, Iowa; daughter, Amber (Seth) Talbot of Fairfield, Iowa; grandchildren, Austin Ellerhoff, Abby Ellerhoff, Jaimee Pharr, Alex Pharr, Tristen Talbot, and Avery Talbot; sisters, Brenda Connell and Marilyn Hoffman; niece, Kelsey Hoffman; nieces Stephanie (Dan) Walterman and children Audrey and Caleb, Tami (Derrick) Riley and children Sarah and Lola, and Taryn (Matthew) McGuire and children Aislyn, Colin, and Rowan; nephews Scott Peters and James Bell; sisters-in-law Rose Ann Bell and Linda (Rod) Haag; and brother-in-law Roger (Jeannie) Ellerhoff.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Sherman Dale and Sarah Louella (Wiese) Manning; infant sister, Sarah Ann Manning; aunt, Jean (Manning) Edler; brothers-in-law Brian Hoffman, Gary Bell, and John Ellerhoff; and her in-laws, Roy and Eldora Ellerhoff.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com.

Memorials may be directed to Paws & More, 1004 W. Madison Street, Washington, Iowa 52353, or Hospice of Washington County, 948 E. 11th Street, Washington, Iowa 52353.

Betty’s family wishes for her to be remembered as a thoughtful, generous, and selfless person who always placed the needs of others before her own.