Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Mindrup
Betty Mindrup
Betty was born on April 24, 1942 to William R. Mindrup and Miona (Peterson) Mindrup. She was born in Harris, MN and was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church of Harris. Betty attended elementary school in Harris and graduated with honors from North Branch High School in 1960. After completing her University degree, she began a long career in research in the Dept. of Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Betty worked in the field of corneal transplant thru the Lions Eye Bank at the University.
Betty always enjoyed learning and continued her education earning her BS in microbiology from the College of Biological Sciences. She authored and coauthored many papers on transplantation procedures. She also traveled to conferences and hospitals around the country explaining and teaching corneal transplants. Betty was not one to toot her own horn, but she was recognized for her accomplishments by receiving “The Helen Keller Sight Award” from the Lions Eye Bank.
Betty retired from the University in 1998 but continued to work part time with a former colleague.
She was always a farm girl at heart and in 1973 she found her paradise in the rolling hills near Boyceville, Wisconsin. There she built her home that she shared with her beloved dog Sunshine, a few special cats, Charolais cows and calves and her horse Shawnda. Much to the sadness of all who loved Betty, she used up the last of her “nine lives” on Friday, January 6, 2023 at the age of 80. Betty’s love of animals was known to all – she loved to feed the birds, cows and deer. She was very proud of her deer and once commented that she probably had the nicest herd of deer in the area!
Betty was born the middle child with 2 older brothers and 3 younger siblings. She was the pesky little sister trying to follow her older brothers around until her mother contracted polio and then her role changed to big sister helping to take care of her little sisters. Our sister Betty was truly a character, self-deprecatingly funny, a wise, generous and gentle soul who was always there for everyone in her family and she is going to be greatly missed.
Besides her cats Lulu and Elvira and lifelong friends: Judith Torrence and Kathleen Reitan, Betty is survived by brother Gary (Sally) Mindrup of Waltham, MN children: Jason (Jolene) Mindrup and children: Jake Mindrup, Shelby Mindrup, Bradley, Michelle, Katrina and Ryann Heimer, Garrett (Lana) Mindrup and children: Garrison Mindrup, his daugher Athena, and Grace Mindrup. Brooke (Mindrup) Carpentier, her children Cody (Stephanie) Carpentier, Calli Coolidge and Tiger Coolidge and Lauren (David) Hamilton and their children Jace, Savannah, Hudson and Weston Hamilton. Sister Barbara (Merle) Himle of Brook Park, MN children: Clinton (Tricia) Krueger and children: Allison (Grant)Johnson and daughter Natalie, Madeline (Daniel) Gutzmann and son Graham, Blaze Krueger and Meredith Krueger. Holly Olson and daughters Piper and Payton Polzin. Nieces and nephews: Tamara (Ken) Reichkitzer, their children Nathan Reichkitzer and Nolan (Noelle) Reichkitzer and daughter Louisa. Desiree Davis and her children Joshua Davis and Kathryn Davis. Brentin (Joy) Mindrup, his son Eric (Brooke) Mindrup and their daughter Kennedy, Kirsten (John) Kelley and son Nicolas, Darin (Catherine)Mindrup, Sister in laws Phyllis Mindrup of Rush City, MN and Linda Bloomquist of North Branch, MN.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents William R. and Miona Mindrup; brothers: William O., Ronald and Donald (Pete), sister JoNan and niece Jeanette Krueger and nephew John Carpentier.
All of us who love Betty are really going to miss this (in Betty’s own words) “tough old Swedish Broad”.
Please join the family for a “Celebraton of Betty’s Life” at noon for a “Farmer’s Dinner” on Sunday April 23, 2023 at her farm in Boyceville, WI.
Be sure to bring some stories of your time with Betty to share!
Betty will truly be missed! I loved having long visits with her and eating her homemade pesto! Love ❤️ and peace ✌️ to you Betty!
I got to know Betty when I moved from Illinois to Wisconsin. I enjoyed having a couple of cocktails with her at the bar. She always had a story to tell and I enjoyed hearing them. She was a wonderful soul and will be missed by many. My deepest sympathy to all of Farmer Betty’s family, how blessed you were and those of us that crossed her path.
Rick and I owned Bloomers and Fatboy’s bars in Boyceville. I first met her at Bloomers with some of the other ladies from town who came in occasionally for a beer or drink. Back then Artie, Irma, Betty and others had some fun conversations at the bar. She was one of the smartest and most interesting person I ever met. Really enjoyed our conversations at the bar. I remember most when we purchased Fatboy’s from Ricks brother Dave and opened, she came in with a big smile, looked at me and said Dave never had a crowd like this. She loved Rick and we feel fortunate to have been her friends all these years. She will be missed, she was an icon in Boyceville.