Betty Jane Belshan

Betty Jane Belshan was born December 19, 1927 in Lerdal, Freeborn County, MN, the daughter of John P. and Elida Noreen Johnson, both recent Swedish immigrants at that time. She was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, and attended Albert Lea High School's class of 1945. Her first employment was as a young waitress in the Hotel Albert coffee shop, and later at the egg drying plant. She quit her job in Albert Lea's Wilson & Co. office to be a farm gal when she was united in marriage to Milo Belshan of Myrtle on September 5, 1948. To this marriage three children were born; Marilyn, Michael and Daniel. The couple first farmed north of Myrtle in Hayward Twp. In 1956 they moved to a farm they purchased just across the corner in London Twp. Betty was a homemaker and good cook, making great dill pickles, pies and beet wine. She loved to care for the baby chicks and laying hens and was a good mid-wife at piglet farrowing, preferring that to field work. In 1984 the couple retired to an acreage SW of Albert Lea in Pickerel Lake Twp. Here they enjoyed several good years. In 2004 they moved to Northwood, more centrally located between their sons' families. They converted this home to handicap needs as Betty had been suffering with debilitating osteo-arthritis which caused many surgeries and eventually resulted in her move into the Lutheran Retirement Home. Betty loved music. She played piano and accordian, but her specialty was singing, which she did well. She amazed others with her recall of hundreds of songs from the 30's to the 80's. Many times in her better days she would sing for the residents at the Lutheran Home. Survivors include her husband, Milo; children, Marilyn Craig Carrigan of Granada, MN, Michael Kim Belshan of Lake Mills, IA and Dan Bonnie Belshan of Myrtle, MN; grandchildren, Tyrone Carrigan, Sarah Mike Martinson, John Jody VanBeek, Matt, Jason and Andrea Belshan friend Jason Horn; great-grandchildren, Bailey, Olivia, Morgan and Tate; sister, Phyllis Nordstrom; brother, John Sherry Johnson; sisters and brothers-in-law, Emily Cech, Fred Gladys Belshan, Helen Dockwell and Alva Belshan; numerous nieces and nephews; and cousins here and in Sweden. Betty was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Ellen; sisters and brothers-in-law, Louis & Alice, Ed & Helen, Tony & Doris and Shirley Belshan, Anton & Josephine and Richard Cech, Harry Dockwell and Rodney Nordstrom. The family wishes to acknowledge and thank friends, the staff of Northwood Retirement Home, Hospice of North Iowa and Pastor Ronald Myers for their devoted care and concern.