Betty Jean Beuchler, 91, longtime Minot resident, died Monday, April 17, 2017 in a Minot healthcare center.

Betty was born March 22, 1926 at Noonan, North Dakota, the daughter of Sig and Mabel Borstad. She was raised on the family farm north of Noonan and attended country school there. In 1940, the family moved to Minot and operated a farm south of Minot. She attended Minot High School, graduating in 1944. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Washington DC, where she was employed with the Department of the Navy at the Pentagon. While working for the Navy, she received a prestigious invitation to attend the Inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 20, 1945. After three years in Washington DC, she returned to Minot and went to work at Minot Model Elementary School as a secretary. She then became a fulltime stay at home mom to raise the five children. She later returned to work at Longfellow Elementary School after the children went off to junior high school.

In 1947, Betty was introduced to Henry "Hank" Beuchler by her sister, Donna. They were united in marriage on March 5, 1948 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Minot. Betty and Hank were charter members of Christ Lutheran Church, where they were both active in Sunday School and the Church Council. Betty was instrumental in organizing and starting Katie's Kitchen there, one of the first church soup kitchens in Minot. She was an enthusiastic volunteer for the annual Norsk Hostfest - making lefsa at the Church for the Norwegian Festival and putting in many volunteer hours at the festival. She also devoted much of her time to delivering meals for the Meals on Wheels Program.

Betty and Hank's family grew to seven, with the addition of 5 children, Keith, Judi, June, Tom and Tim. Of these 5 children, there were two sets of twins. When the second set of twins were born, the children's ages were 2 newborns, 2 two-year olds, and one 5 year old - uffda!

Betty enjoyed camping and fishing with family and friends. Upon Hank's retirement, they spent winters with close friends in Arizona. After Hank's death in 1992, Betty sold the family home and purchased a condo until her health required more care, and she moved into the Wellington - a home she loved. She was proud to be one of the very first tenants when the Wellington opened. The last two years of her life, she was cared for at Minot Health and Rehab, where she received so much love and compassion and was a friend to all who worked and resided there.

Betty's loving family includes , children : Keith (Betty) Beuchler, Beaver Dam, WI; Judi (Ken) Kitzman, Minot; June (Andy) Banas, Downers Grove, IL; Tom (Shirley) Beuchler, Battle Creek, MI; and Tim (Monica) Beuchler, Battle Creek, MI; 13 grandchildren to include: Ben Beuchler, Hannah Roland, Summer Knezic, Sirona Beuchler, Peter Beuchler, Amber Caster, Amie Vernon, Cassandra Beuchler, Travis Beuchler, Tanner Beuchler, Amanda Banas, Krystyna Banas and Tyson Beuchler; 10 great-grandchildren: Jordyn, Riley, Aubrey, Lauryn, Teagan, Benson, Lindley, Simon, Noah, Ixi and Baby Ellie due any day; sister, Donna (Wes) Luther; sister in law, Adelaide Borstad; numerous nieces and nephews.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, husband, infant grandson, Brandon Beuchler; brothers, Milo and Orrison Borstad; sisters-in- law, Hilda Borstad, Amy Beuchler and Elsie Sawyer; brothers-in-law, Doug Sawyer and Bennie Beuchler.

Celebration of Life Service : Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Christ Lutheran Church, Minot.
Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot.
Visitation: Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials: preferred to Katie's Kitchen at Christ Lutheran Church, or the Minot Area Community Foundation.