December 17, 1925 – January 19, 2022
Betty Charlene Lindenmayer, 96, Frankfort, formerly of Sheridan, passed away on Wednesday evening, January 19, 2022, at Clinton House in Frankfort. Born December 17, 1925, in Sugar Creek Township of Clinton County, Ind., she was the daughter of the late Hersal “Heiny” and Nellie M. (Harris) Buzan.
Betty graduated from Sugar Creek High School in 1944. Soon after, she traveled to Illinois for a performance on one of the local radio stations. It was in that moment a performer was born. For Betty, playing music was as natural as taking a breath. She would sit and play with her grandfather for hours as a child, developing her musical skills and a genuine love for “old timey” music. Betty could play piano and organ, but she could make a stringed instrument sing. Fiddle was her favorite, and it showed. She earned numerous trophies and awards throughout her life, including winning the Indiana State Fair Old Fashioned Fiddler’s Competition. Using the stage name Betty Lin, she quickly started making a name for herself in Bluegrass and square dance circles. In 1971, she began traveling to Renfro Valley, Ky., to play on their weekly radio show, The Renfro Valley Barn Dance. It was during those years that she released her live album, Country Violin. In 1979, she helped establish the New Coon Creek Girls. Betty Lin eventually left the group she helped found, going on to play with many others acts throughout her career, including The Country Sunshine Band, The Sunny Valley Gang, and Loretta Lynn. Her reputation as a performer can be summed up with the greatest compliment a musician could hope to hear – whenever the name Betty Lin would come up in conversation, the universal response was, “She was one heck of a fiddle player.”
Betty did have other interests outside of music, including collecting Native American jewelry and artifacts. She also loved to entertain, which made her the perfect Tupperware representative – a position that she held for 20 years.
Music may have been Betty’s passion, but her family was her heart and soul. Her strong faith, along with the love and support of her family, helped her live her dream. She was a people person who loved nothing more than when her friends and family could get together to tell stories, enjoy being in each other’s lives, and of course, play some good music.
Betty is survived by her sons, Gary Allen Lindenmayer (Janet) of Sheridan, and Chris Morton Lindenmayer (Kathy) of Frankfort; grandchildren, Roy Lindenmayer (Lindsey) of California, and Crystal Lindenmayer of Frankfort; great-grandchildren, Austin Cearlock of Peru, Annissa Lynch (Andrew) of New Ross, Kendra Gregory of Ft. Wayne, Christian Lindenmayer of Frankfort, Kyle Lindenmayer of California, Gianna Lindenmayer of California, Lilly Lindenmayer of California, and Knox Lindenmayer of California; two great-great-grandchildren, Camdyn Cearlock of Peru, and Freya Lynch of New Ross; brother, Morris W. Buzan (Karen) of Sheridan; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Lilalee Wright; brothers, Gene W. Buzan and wife Phyllis, and Warren L. Buzan and wife Judith; grandchildren, Ray Lindenmayer and Tami Lindenmayer; and by her husband, Roy M. Lindenmayer, on December 24, 2014. She and Roy were married on November 2, 1942 and spent the next 72 years by each other’s side.
Private family services will be held on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at Kercheval Funeral Home in Sheridan. Betty will be laid to rest at Crown View Cemetery in Sheridan. Pastor George Cooper will be officiating.
Condolences: kerchevalfuneralhome.com
Back in the 1960’s and early 70’s I played banjo with Betty Lin at the Sheridan Music Club and some fiddle contests with her guitar player Joe Bell. She was a grand lady and an inspiration to all of us.