Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Bechtold, 86, Sauk Rapids

February 24, 1936 - March 2, 2022

Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Bechtold age 86 of Sauk Rapids died March 2, 2022 at home after a battle with an aggressive form of bladder cancer. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial for Elizabeth will be 10:30 AM, Friday, March 11, 2022 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Foley. Reverend Michael Wolfbauer will officiate. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery. A gathering of family and friends will be held from 4 to 8 PM Thursday at Foley funeral home and one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Parish prayers will be 6:00 PM, Thursday evening at the funeral home. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Service with Dignity provided by the Foley Funeral Home.

Elizabeth Ann (Gerads) Bechtold was born February 24, 1936 in Krane Township, Stearns County Minnesota to Charles and Loretta (Harren) Gerads. She married Alphonse Bechtold on February 11, 1958 at Saint Francis church in Freeport and raised their family in Sauk Rapids (Popple Creek). Elizabeth worked the hardest at raising 10 children, farming full-time, and doing all the cooking which she was the best at, Elizabeth always enjoyed time with her siblings and all her grandchildren and great grandchildren, telling and hearing jokes, loved dancing even though it wasn’t much time for that later, her favorite color was yellow, loved to play cards, a master at board puzzles and word searches.

Elizabeth is survived by her children: Patricia, Sauk Rapids; Robert (Brenda), Duluth; Tom (Michelle), Cape Coral Florida; Richard (Holly), Sauk Rapids; Maryanne, Mesa Arizona; Luann Boom, Foley; Suzann (Dennis) Seiberlich, St.Cloud; Diane(Dave) Tradup, Viola; Roseann (Raymond) Maingi, Maple Grove; Donald (Sabrina), Sartell; 19 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren, as well as brothers and sisters: Frank(Doreen) Gerads, Freeport; Herbie Gerads, Freeport; Gilbert (Carol) Gerads, Freeport; Magdeline “Toots“ Schwanke, Waite Park; Loretta(Herbie) Thull, Melrose; Dolores Lynn, Waite Park; Sister Marie Gerads O.S.B, St Cloud; and Bertha Herdering of Upsala and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Alphonse Bechtold on January 10th 2019, two infant children Joann and Daniel, grandchild Travis, brothers, Bernard, Joe, Norbert; daughter-in-law Nancy Bechtold.