ELIZABETH M. ERICKSON

Elizabeth Mae (Betty), Erickson, 92.

When one of a pair of lovebirds dies, what the one left most wants in all the world is to fly away to join her mate. On November 16th, after “only” fourteen months, Betty flew away to join the love of her life.

Born on April 2nd, 1919 in Gillett, Wisconsin, Betty was the youngest of the five children born to Walter William and Ruth Amanda Smith. She was born at home in a lovely Victorian that her kids have always thought was a mansion. (After we grew up, we realized it was a small one.) But the third-floor attic had a cupola that was Betty’s playroom and getaway. 110 West Main Street is now the home of the Gillett Area Historical Society.

Betty went to State Teachers College in Stevens Point and graduated in 1941. She went to Tigerton and started teaching. It was there she met Lief. When he came home from the war in 1945, they were married in Gillett, with a reception at the Smith Family home.

The couple moved to St. Paul, where Lief would attend the University of Minnesota Medical School and Betty would teach. After only three months of teaching (and two paychecks), Betty was on the losing end of a strike vote. She participated in the first organized teachers’ strike in the nation in 1946.

In 1950, they were a family of four when they moved to Burlington for Lief to work with Dr. Bennett. Scott saw they could use his help and quickly joined them in 1952. And then three more helpers were born to make six.

It is Betty’s picture that belongs on the poster that says, “Every mother is a working mother.” With six children born over thirteen years, she still found time to be a room mother for many rooms, to bring however many dozen of whatever was needed wherever, to serve on various church committees and to chair the AFS pizza sale for many, many years.

She was mother to more than her original six, taking in AFS students, kids who needed a break from their own situations, and kids whose parents moved from Burlington before their kids graduated from high school.

Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the apples of her eye and she always delighted in their visits, calls, photos and news.

For the first nearly twenty years in Burlington, Betty answered the clinic after-hours phone evenings and weekends when Lief was on call, which was often. She went to dozens of her kids’ sports events, banquets, plays, and concerts, usually alone unless she had some of her other kids with her. Lief was away working a lot during the kids’ growing-up years. Betty held up the family end of their partnership, allowing Lief to be the one in the public eye, the one who received the awards and honors. Lief always said that he couldn’t have done any of it without Betty.

Betty had an artistic flair. For many years she arranged the altar at church every Saturday evening, She often decorated with brighter colors and bolder patterns than almost anyone else would choose.

Every December Betty began her baking of prodigious numbers and kinds of Christmas cookies. After that she took anything in the kitchen that couldn’t defend itself and covered it in chocolate.

Homecare through VNA Hospice allowed Betty to remain at home during her last difficult months. She died peacefully there on November 16th, 2011.

Betty leaves behind a large family, many friends, and wonderful and devoted caregivers to share memories of her good nature and dry wit (and to miss her salad dressing, potato chip dip, cookies and candy).

Blessed to be Betty’s family are: Dr. Lief Jr. (Trudy; Chris with Janae; Brad with Patty and grandchildren Berkley, Geneva and Finley; Lief III with Emily and granddaughter Eleanor; and Elizabeth with friend Camille); Lynne (with Tom); Scott (with friend Linda; Susan; Jesse with friend Helea and Abbey with friend Ryan); Chris aka Ted (with Julie, daughter Christin with Ryan and granddaughters Avery and Kendall; daughter Ashley with Jack and grandchildren Whitney and Wells; son Steve with Allison and granddaughter Emma; son Jeff with Patti and grandson Charlie; and son Scott with friend Melissa); Eric (with Bonnie); and Maren (with Brian and daughters Kara and Shelby).

A memorial celebration will be on Sunday, November 27 at 2 p.m. at the Burlington United Methodist Church. Visitation is at the church from 11 a.m. until the service. A scattering of ashes will take place later.

The family suggests memorials to the Gillett Area Historical Society, 110 W. Main St., Gillett, WI  54124, to help restore Betty’s first and much-loved home. When Betty felt that her time was near she called her children together to tell them, “You know I love you all like crazy.” We did know and we do know, because Mom and Dad told us all the time. Their favorite way for you to honor them would be to tell those you love how much you do.

Schuette-Daniels Funeral Home & Crematory, Burlington, is assisting the family.