Carol Lorraine Beetsch

ORIGINALLY FROM WASECA, CURRENTLY OF WINONACarol Lorraine Beetsch went home on Thursday, February 6, 2014, age 90, from Lake Winona Manor due to complications from Alzheimer 's disease. Born in Mankato, MN to George and Elizabeth (Priem) Beetsch, she was the fifth child in their family of eight and went through the public school system in Mankato.Her odyssey began in 1942, a short time after World War II had been declared, when her only sister Harriet, along with Harriet's daughter, Janet, went on a trip to California. After returning to Mankato, the trio decided to go to Washington, DC to help with the war effort. Carol got a secretarial job in the Pentagon and stayed there until the war ended. She came back to her family home in Mankato and got a job in Waseca with Waseca Mutual Insurance where she worked as head bookkeeper until the company closed, finishing her working career at the Waseca County Museum, helping residents locate family genealogy. She lived in Waseca along with lifetime neighbors and friends until 2006, when she chose to move to Winona to be near family.During her lifetime, her travels took her to many places including several trips to California, to Arizona, Florida, Hawaii and Mexico. She also went on numerous excursions to England and Scotland, to visit her dear friend, Mame Johnstone and her family. Much to the delight of Carol's nieces and nephews, she often invited them to accompany her on "the road." Besides travelling, she also enjoyed fishing, catching her share of "keepers" during her lifetime. She had a special place in her heart and life for dogs, especially Scotties, who are famously independent as was Carol herself.Carol was the self-appointed family caretaker of her parents, her siblings, nieces and nephews. The principle she lived by was "Family First" whether it required monetary or emotional guidance.A very heartfelt and grateful thank you goes to the incredible staff at Roger Metz Manor who gave her their unselfish love, kindness, and caring in the last year of her life and who made her final days as comfortable as was possible; and to a very special nephew, Derek Olson, who also participated with his deep caring for her demonstrated by his cheery, daily, visits to her in those last days. We will all miss you, Carol. Survivors include her brother, Richard and wife, Barbara, sisters-in-law Fern Beetsch (Eugene) of Napa, CA, and Jean (George) Beetsch of Mankato, MN. Nieces Janet (Lauren) Olson, Joseph (Sharlene) Beetsch, Rebecca Beetsch, John (Phyllis)Beetsch, Mary Longman, Sarah (William) Noreen, Martha (Jeffrey) Smith, Margaret Beetsch, Nan (Charles) Higgins, Jan (Tom) Lyons, Lisa (William) Steinberg, Suzanne Beetsch, Joel (Erin) Beetsch, Bradley Beetsch and Jennifer(Mark) Ohm with many great and great, great nephews and nieces.She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Kenneth (Betty), sister Harriet Diekman (Harold), brothers Merlin (Evangeline), Harold (Elizabeth), Eugene, and George, Jr., niece Kathleen Peterson and nephew James Beetsch.A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at Hoff Celebration of Life Center in Goodview, led by Celebrant Jenny Hoff. A gathering of friends will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will take place at a later date in Pilgrims Rest Cemetery in Mankato. Please share a memory of Carol with her family and view her video tribute at www.hofffuneral.com."Under the wide and starry sky, Dig the grave and let me lie, Glad did I live and gladly die,And I laid me down with a will.This be the verse you grave for me:Here he lies where he longed to be;Home is the sailor, home from the sea. And the hunter home from the hill."
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/464868