Anna VanBatavia, 79, Luverne, died Thursday, March 10, 2022, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service was Tuesday, March 15, at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Luverne.
Anna was born on Nov. 4, 1942, to John and Henrietta (Smeins) Brommer. When Anna was an infant, her father was killed in a car accident. Anna was then adopted by Chris DeGroot, who married Henrietta and raised Anna as his own. She spent her childhood in Luverne. Music became a very important part of her life, and she played tenor drum in band in high school. She also worked as a car hop at A&W Drive-in and cleaned the Rock County Bank. She graduated from Luverne High School in 1960.
She immediately started working part time for the Rock County Bank as a teller and was employed by the bank until her retirement in 2007.
Anna married Virgil VanBatavia on Nov. 2, 1962. The couple later divorced but remained good friends. Anna took great pride in her work at the bank, where she worked nearly every position. She moved from part time to full time in 1971, working as a security loan officer, then a consumer loan officer, and eventually rose to the position of consumer mortgage lender vice president.
After retirement in 2007, Anna worked part time for Manitou Carpets and remained very active in the community.
Anna was a member of the American Reformed Church for many years, serving as first-grade Sunday school teacher for much of that time. Her love of music brought her many opportunities to serve, from the Tri-State Band Committee from 1986-2013, then as People’s Choice Judge from 2014-2017, and as a Parade Marshall in 2009. Anna was also an active member of the Luverne Chamber of Commerce and the Rock County Bankers Association. She participated in bowling league for many years and really enjoyed long rides in her convertible.
The most important thing to her was her family. She supported her grandchildren and great-grandchildren by going to all of their events and spending as much time with them as she could. She was known for her quick wit, sense of humor, goofy pranks and laugh. Anna was never afraid to talk to people and had a special gift at bringing out the best in those around her. She loved dressing up as the good witch for Halloween and baking hundreds of cupcakes to deliver around town to the nursing homes, businesses, hospice cottage and more. Anna also loved animals, especially her cats, Toby and Muffy.
Anna is survived by her daughters, Tammy (Tom) Johnson of Hardwick and Debbie Pantekoek of Pipestone; seven grandchildren, Lyndsie (Brandon) Deragisch, Brandie (Justin) Hulstein, Kaila Hamann, Emilee (Nate) Haraldson, Nic (Melanie) Johnson, Torri (Austin) Raatz, and Jamie (Mason) Pantekoek; six great-grandchildren; and many friends.
Anna was preceded in death by her parents, Chris and Henrietta DeGroot; her biological father John Brommer; and her brother, Lloyd DeGroot.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
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