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“I am not afraid and have no fear,” says a spirited Betty Qualls as she prepares to make her first jump as a skydiver.

Pay attention! Betty is 95 years old and measures 5 foot and 112 pounds. With confidence, Betty echoes her plans in a gravel voice. “I want to do it,” she says.

Betty is currently a resident of the Prairie Manor Health Care center in Blooming Prairie. She walks the halls daily, greeting friends and reaffirming that she is going to make this historic jump.

1 year ago 

World War II veteran Al Blaschke, 106, took back the title of oldest tandem skydiver last November when he jumped 9,000 feet with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Guinness World Records has made that attempt official.

“Don’t burst my bubble,” said Betty, who frowns at people who think she is crazy.

Betty is going to lead a three-generation event when she does a tandem jump at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Her daughter Pam Lujan and granddaughter Denise Lujan will also be jumping tandem.

The jumpers will meet at the Waseca Municipal Airport early the morning of the 19th to get final instructions before they board a Cessna 182 aircraft.

Aric Christopherson, a friend of Betty, also plans to make the jump. He has jumped once previously.

“We are all registered and can’t wait,” said Pam. This idea of Betty making a sky dive grew legs when Christopherson, while driving a Prairie Manor bus, encouraged Betty to make the jump later in October.

Are you all crazy?

“We’re going to do it,” said Pam. “Are you all crazy?” someone said in a cafe in Dodge Center.

Dan Geiser, part owner of the Waseca airport, confirmed the skydiving venture for Betty and her girls. Geiser said the Waseca location, named Skydiving North and one in Luverne are the only two airports in Minnesota who do skydiving.

Geiser said they have had divers in the 80s range in the past, and he finds more men jumping than women.

Weather key

Geiser says the weather will be the determining factor of whether the skydiving adventure takes place or not.

He may be one of the tandem jumpers. The Waseca airport is located west of Waseca.

Betty was born Dec. 16, 2029. She was born in Nashville.

“I want to make people smile,” remarks Betty.

Betty married at age 15 and had her first son at age 16.

She had five children, two are deceased. She has 13 grandchildren. Betty finished eighth grade received her GED in the early 2000s.

Move to Minnesota

Pam convinced her mother to come to Minnesota from Colorado 10 years ago. She tended bar for many years in Colorado. She worked for the late Eddy and Janet Bohn.

Betty recently was diagnosed with a spot on her lung. She went to the Mayo Clinic for radiation treatment. “I got to ring the bell to signify that I was cancer free,” she says.

Betty admits that she still is a “closet” smoker. She also has her Scotch and water at bedtime.

“I am not afraid,” Betty says, rolling her eyes in affirmation. 

Look for Steele County Times coverage in next week’s edition.