Betty Schwantz

The Mass of Christian Burial for Betty Schwantz of Bertha will be celebrated at 11:00 am. on Thursday, May 11, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bertha with Father Gabriel Walz as celebrant. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 10, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Schuller Family Funeral Homes’ Domian-Anderson Chapel in Bertha with a Rosary at 5:00 and Prayers at 6:00p.m. Visitation will resume at the church on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Betty (Boehland) Schwantz, 94, passed away, May 6, 2023, at her home surrounded by her loving family. Betty was born on September 14, 1928, to Leo and Ida Boehland (Thrun) on their farm west of Bertha, MN. She grew up and attended country school until 8th grade, then attended Bertha High School and graduated in 1947. Betty and her step-sister, Ena, moved to Duluth where she worked at the Northland Country Club. She returned to Bertha within a couple of years and continued her relationship with Leslie Schwantz, also of Bertha. They were united in marriage on September 23, 1950. They bought a farm from Betty’s brother, Urban, and they dairy farmed there until their retirement in the early 2000’s. Betty was an avid gardener and cook. With six kids to raise, she had a lot of mouths to feed! She is remembered as an excellent cook by anyone who had the opportunity to have one of her meals. Betty excelled at canning pickles. The single season high was 140 quarts of Miss Pickler cucumbers! She was called the “Cookie Grandma” by her grandkids and great grandchildren. Her chocolate chip cookies were her forte. Betty also enjoyed fixing puzzles and embroidering dish towels in the winter, during the days, when Leslie took his dad ice fishing. One of her favorite things to do was go morel mushroom hunting every spring. Preceding Betty in death were her husband, Leslie; sons, Jerome and Kevin; daughter-in-law, Rose Schwantz; and infant grandson, Douglas. Betty was the youngest of nine and is survived by her older sister, Edith, 98, in Good Thunder, MN; children: Steve (Connie) Schwantz of North Port, FL, Connie (Bob) Wenker of Hewitt, Mark (Carla) Schwantz, of Bertha, and Brian (Cami) Schwantz of Ottertail; daughter-in-law, Laura Schwantz; 18 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and one great-grandchild on the way; along with numerous nieces and nephews. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Bertha, MN. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be directed to the Parkinson research, Cancer research, Knute Nelson Hospice, or the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Bertha.

Betty Schwantz

September 14, 1928 - May 6, 2023