Harris Henry Bettenga, 79, of Grinnell died September 22, 2015, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell. A celebration of life service has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 25th at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with Pastor Mike Sereg, with Church of the Way in Newton, officiating. Burial will be in the Hudson Cemetery in Hudson. Visitation with the family present will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be directed to the National Audubon Society in care of the Smith Funeral Home. Harris was born June 7, 1936, in Dike, Iowa, the son of Henry Harris and Carrie Van Deest Bettenga. He was raised in the Dike area and was a 1955 graduate of Tripoli High School. Following high school, he served for nearly two years in the United States Army. He returned to the family farm near Tripoli and shortly after he furthered his education in Chicago attending a tech school studying Drafting and Computer Aid Design and later attended Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo studying Park and Turf Management. On December 28, 1963, he was united in marriage with Betty Jean Plum, in Waterloo. Harris held several jobs including construction, drafting and maintenance. He was employed at Farmstead Industries in Waterloo and after he moved to Grinnell in 1983, he worked for Grinnell College and later at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch. Harris held a deep sentiment for nature and a love for the outdoors, this included fishing, bird-watching/feeding and gardening. He enjoyed keeping busy on his farm near Jessup, which included the care of several different animals. He was an avid reader of many books, held a keen interest in historical places, and enjoyed traveling, woodworking and classical music. Survivors include his wife, Betty of Grinnell; four children, Paul (Paulette) Bettenga of Hanover, Michigan, Becky (Dave) Watkins of Pella, Mark (Michele) Bettenga of Marion and Julie (Brian) Heater of Grinnell; seven grandchildren, Jonathan and Benjamin Bettenga, Luke Sease, Ryan and Brayden Bettenga and Garrett and Dylan Heater; one brother-in-law, George Dinsdale of Greenville, North Carolina; and many nieces and nephews.. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter, Deborah Bettenga; and one sister, Varina Dinsdale.