June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Hazel Julia Edel Betts
b. July 2, 1919 - d. Sept. 2, 2010
Hazel was born to Axel Erickson and Anna Brita "Bertha" Soderlund on July 2, 1913 on the Peter Berglund farm east of Sheyenne, North Dakota. When her mother died in 1919, she and her Dad made a trip to Sweden in the summer of 1919. She stayed at Alpha Nunn's in North Dakota sometime after returning from Sweden. She started school in the fall of 1919 at Broomhill, Manitoba.
By 1920 she and her father moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hazel lived with her half-sister, Ethel Berglund and husband Axel Anderson, while her father worked in the woods in northern Minnesota during the winter of 1920-21. Afterwards they lived in numerous apartments in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Her father worked mostly as a mason's helper and helped lay many sidewalks in Minneapolis while Hazel kept house for her father and attended school. These were difficult times for many people and, especially, for a young girl without a mother.
Hazel attended about a dozen schools in the Twin Cities before she completed 8th Grade.
She met Everet Ernest Betts at Loring Park in Minneapolis in early 1931 while she was working for the YMCA. They were married on June 19, 1931 and they set up housekeeping on the Hatch Place farm along Snake Creek in Watopa Township, Wabasha County, Minnesota where they had two sons: Douglas Norman and Robert Allen.
Everet and Hazel lived on quite a number of dairy farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin before moving to Rochester, Minnesota to work for Dr. Charles W. Mayo on the Mayowood Farms. They both worked at the "Big House" from time to time assisting with preparations for parties. They later worked for Dr. Dodge and, near retirement, Everet worked for the Mayo Clinic in the animal research laboratories at the Mayo Clinic and at Institute Hills Farm. Hazel always raised chickens for meat and eggs, tended a large garden and canned most of the food for the family. On the Dodge farm, they kept "Brown Cow" for milk and butter-vividly remembered by her grandchildren.
After Everet died in 1976, she moved to their 20 acres at Boy River, Minnesota. She was the "Poet Laureate" of Boy River, Minnesota for a number of years between 1976 and 1998. She wrote quite a number of poems, some of which have been published in books and newspapers.
In 1998, she held an auction and sold her beloved "Pioneer Acres" at Boy River. After a short stay near Bozeman, Montana, she purchased two lots with a mobile home and a two-car garage in Remer, Minnesota just south of Edie Gilstead's home.
At Boy River and Remer, Minnesota, she enjoyed the friendship of many wonderful people.
All of her 97 years she was hard working and fiercely independent.
Hazel is predeceased by her husband, Everet.
She is survived by - Two sons - Douglas Norman Betts, Bozeman, MT
- Robert Allen Betts, Creston, British Columbia
Three granddaughters - Kay Marie Weaver, Rochester, MN
- Dr. Karen Betts Mielke, Maplewood, MN
- Dr. Ann Marie Thiessen, Tacoma, WI
Two grandsons - David Erik Betts, Cranbook, British Columbia
- Daniel Jose Betts, Creston, British Columbia
Two great grandsons - Benjamin Douglas Mielke and
- Cameron Everet Mielke of Maplewood, MN
One great granddaughter - Mary Elizabeth Weaver, Rochester, MN
One great grand son - Logan Everet Betts, Creston, British Columbia
One great-granddaughter - Jillian Alicia Betts, Creston, British Columbia
Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until the 2:00 P.M. Funeral Service on Sunday, September 5, 2010 in Bethany Lutheran Church, Remer, Minnesota. Pastor Dale Degner will officiate. Burial will be on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 1:00 P.M. at High Forest Cemetery, High Forest Township, Minnesota.
Arrangements by Rowe Funeral Home of Grand Rapids, MN.
To sign the online guestbook or send condolences visit www.rowefuneralhomeandcrematory.com
Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until the 2:00 P.M. Funeral Service on Sunday, September 5, 2010 in Bethany Lutheran Church, Remer, Minnesota. Pastor Dale Degner will officiate. Burial will be on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 1:00 P.M. at High Forest Cemetery, High Forest Township, Minnesota.
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