Betty J. Pipho

Betty J. Pipho age 77 of Pine Island died Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at the Pine Haven Care Center in Pine Island. Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 1:00 PM at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island with Rev. John Torris Lohre, Rev. Kip Groettum and Rev. David Lechelt officiating. Burial will be in Pine Island Cemetery. Visitation is scheduled for Monday, July 7, 2008 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at the Mahn Family Funeral Home- Mahler Chapel in Pine Island and on Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Betty Jean Kruse was born on August 26, 1930 in Pine Island, MN to Rheinhold and Bessie (nee Weeks) Kruse. She grew up in rural Pine Island, attended country school and graduated from Pine Island High School in 1950. On January 27, 1952 she married David Mosher in Pine Island. They made their home in the Pine Island area and Betty worked as a cook and waitress for the Rainbow Cafe in Pine Island. She also worked as a nurse's aid for the Rochester area hospitals. Betty and David were later divorced. On June 5, 1972 she married Norman Pipho in South Dakota. They made their home in Pine Island and Betty worked as a nurse's aid for twenty years at the Pine Haven Care Center and fifteen years at the Charter House in Rochester, retiring in 2000. Betty was a member of Saint Paul Lutheran Church and was a Lena Sparks 4H Leader. She enjoyed bowling, gardening, sewing, crafts, needlework, fishing, walking, camping and playing games with her grandchildren. Betty is survived by her husband Norman, three daughters, Romelle (Bill) Friary of Pine Island, Rhonda (Gary) Kern of Ham Lake, and Rayna (Dan) Lechelt of Chanhassen, one son, Gary (Lisa) Pipho of Northfield, ten grandchildren, Katrine, Mike, Wanda, Nick, Shannon, Robby, Joey, Kayla, Christopher and Jesse, two great grandchildren, Cailin and Andrew, four sisters, Janice (Lyle) Yennie of LaPorte, MN, Charlotte (Colin) Glarner of Faribault, Shirley (Jack) Kunz of San Jose, CA., Patricia (Larry) Swee of Pine Island and one brother, Robert (Connie) Kruse of Minneapolis. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Orrin and Richard Kruse. Casketbearers are Dan Lechelt, Joey Lechelt, Gary Pipho, Tony Frank, Mike Friary and Don Hayward. Honorary bearers are Bill Friary, Robby Heagle, Gary Kern, Sean Harkins, Nick Pipho and Christopher Lechelt. The family suggests memorials to the Struthers Parkinson Center in Golden Valley, Saint Paul Lutheran Church or Pine Haven Care Center.