Beverly Spriestersbach

Beverly Anne Spriestersbach died Thursday, April 10, 2025, three weeks short of her 99th birthday. She was born May 6, 1926, at the family home in rural Goodhue County, MN, moving to “the big farm” in Olmsted County at the age of one year. She was five years old when her family moved into the City of Pine Island. She graduated from Pine Island High School in 1944 and went on to earn her BSN degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota.

Her deceased family members include her parents Merle Lee and Esther Lucile (Stucky) Spriestersbach, sister Gretchen Ruth Spriestersbach, brother Duane Caryl (Bette Rae Bartell) Spriestersbach, husbands Lt. Robert Conway Collins and Dr. Roger Lee Augspurger. Also, her beloved schnauzers, Krissi and Snickers.

After living in various locations, she returned to Pine Island to care for her father and mother until they passed away. Bev continued to live on the family farm until one year ago. She was a good steward of her family’s land, always caring for the trees, maintaining the hay/pasture land, creating beautiful perennial flower beds, and always feeding the birds (and occasionally shooting a red squirrel that ate the bird food and chewed holes in the house siding!).

In her earlier years, Bev was active in the Pine Island Methodist Church where she reinstituted the Annual Harvest Home dinner, and in PAPA where she served as treasurer for many years and took part in various theatrical performances. The Pine Island History Center has been important to Bev over the years, and she has donated many Spriestersbach/Stucky family pieces.

Bev developed Bach Estates in southeast Pine Island on land she owned. She also donated a parcel of land with a small pond to the Pine Island School System for their use and learning opportunities.

Bev is survived by her nephew Michael Lee (Gerry) Spriestersbach of Tucson, AZ, niece Ann Spriestersbach Swain, Albuquerque, NM, great nephew Mathew Jackson (Sasha) Swain and their twins Jasper Emmett and Liliana Joell, El Cerita, CA, and godson Thomas Lance McCrady, St. Olaf Lake, MN.

For the past year, Bev resided at Rochester Health East, and we are grateful for the compassion and good care provided her.

A gathering of friends in celebrating the life of Beverly will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the Pine Island United Methodist Church with Reverend Tony Fink officiating. Burial will be at the Pine Island Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the Pine Island Historical Society. Arrangements are by the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Mahler Chapel in Pine Island.

• Take my hand, Precious Lord.
• For this is a journey that we all must take
• And each one must go alone;
• It’s all a part of the Master’s plan,
• A step on the road home.