BETTY JEAN MOUCHKA, age 90, from Marengo, Iowa, and Mission, Texas, died peacefully on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Sterlingshire Senior Living in Coralville, Iowa. Betty was born March 9, 1936, at her family home southwest of Marengo to E.E. “Hap” Slaymaker and Leona Pearl Mitchell Slaymaker. Betty was an only child but had lots of cousins from both sides of the Slaymaker and Mitchell families to play with while growing up. She graduated from Marengo High School in 1954 after first attending rural grade school through eighth grade. On April 15, 1955, she married Richard (Dick) John Mouchka at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They soon moved to Anchorage, Alaska while Dick served in the U.S. Army where Betty got her first Doberman (Charlie), who was always at her side. Betty and Dick returned to Marengo in April of 1957 after her husband was honorably discharged from the Army. Together they began farming Betty’s family farm south of Marengo, where they raised beef cattle and hogs, grew and sold corn, soybeans, and oats, and ran a large chicken and egg operation in the early years on one of their several farms. Over the years Betty and Dick acquired over 1,000 acres of farmland. Although they had no children of their own, there was never a dull moment, as children from the family (mostly second cousins) regularly spent summer months with them on the farm. One cousin in particular, John (Kelly) Pace, began staying with Betty and Dick year-round, starting when he was in sixth grade and staying with them through his Junior year at Iowa Valley High School. This lengthy stay led to Kelly calling Betty “Mom.” After farming for 35 years, Betty and Dick sold their farm equipment and got out of farming in 1992. They had grown apart by this time and separated, with Dick finding a new life with someone else and Betty finding a new life with Bill Hahn. Together Betty and Bill opened the “Down a Country Lane” store in downtown Marengo, where Bill did furniture restoration and picture framing, and Betty made and restored porcelain dolls. They also bought a second home in Mission, Texas, where they spent the winter months together, returning to Marengo each spring.

Betty was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, never missing a game, either in person or watching the game on TV. Many in her family are Iowa State Cyclone fans (but she let that slide), and we Cyclone family members did too with her. Betty was talented in lots of ways: she was known for her bucolic, peaceful, and idealized country paintings (just as her mother Leona had done); making beautiful and colorful quilts with help from her friend Jolene Carter; and restoring amazing porcelain dolls. She also could be adventurous, as she liked to travel and she learned to fly and became a pilot while she and Dick were still together on the farm. They owned their own plane and built their own airstrip on one of their farm fields. Flying was one of her favorite hobbies! One dream Betty had that she was unable to realize was to go up into Space.

Betty was also a dog lover and had seven Dobermans over the years, including the first one she raised while in Alaska when Dick was in the Army. She lost her last Doberman in 2017 and went with smaller dog breeds after that. Betty was a kind, gentle, and gracious person, always interested in the welfare of others around her, whether they were friends or family. All the cousins who, as children, spent their summer weeks on the farm while growing up were treated by Betty like they were her own kids. Betty was also an accomplished gardener and an incredibly good cook. On the farm she fixed countless meals (noon dinners as well as evening suppers) for hungry family, friends, and farm help. You did not go hungry! No one could beat her mashed potatoes, delicious cream peas, sweet corn, fried chicken, and strawberry shortcake with whipped cream…and sometimes ice cream!

She will be missed by everyone in her family and her many friends too, including Skip Gorsch and Harry Soppe, Mark and Jolene Carter, and Diana Brayton who lovingly cared for Betty and was her constant companion in Betty’s sunset years. And of course she will be missed by her dog Jo Jo.

Betty is survived by one granddaughter, Lilly Pace; one first cousin, Jeanie Pace; 11 second cousins: John (Kelly) Pace, Garland (Pat) Pace, Charles Weaver, Sherry Stanbrough, Rick Reger, John Reger, Pam Harms, Peg Modracek, Michael (Chad) Dunham, Shelley Kubik, and Josh Tidrick; and one nephew, Chuck Holston.

She was preceded in death by her parents Hap and Leona Slaymaker, her husband Richard (Dick) Mouchka, and her later life companion Bill Hahn.

A celebration of life gathering for Betty will be held September 5th from 1-3 pm at Sterlingshire Assisted Living, 1140 Kennedy Parkway, Bergstrom Room 2nd Floor. Coralville, Iowa. Food and beverages will be provided. (Sterlingshire facilities are elevator accessible)

Celebrate Life Iowa is overseeing cremation and inurrnment arrangements. Her ashes will be committed in the Marengo Cemetery.