Beverly Ann Ehret

Beverly Ann Ehret, 86, passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 5, 2023 at Bethesda Grand, Willmar, MN.  She was born January 10, 1937 to Louis and Lillian (Engel) Heesch on the family farm west of Elkton, SD.  Beverly attended country school a few miles down the road from their family farm.  In 1954 she graduated from Elkton High School in Elkton, SD.  In the high school annual her quote was “It’s nice to be nice when you are naturally nice.”  Beverly entered St. Catherine University and Anchor Hospital in St. Paul, MN to obtain her Registered Nursing degree in 1955.  While attending college, Beverly became ill with food poisoning.  She was hospitalized for a week.  From then on Bev was not a fan of “hot dogs.” She graduated with an RN degree in 1957.

On January 11, 1958, Beverly married the love of her life James Lee Ehret.  They were able to spend 59 years and 10 months together until the passing of Jim in October 2017.  They were blessed with three daughters:  Susie, Kathy, and Jenny and three sons-in-law Paul, Mike, and Jason whom she loved and considered as her own sons.  She had nine grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Beverly devoted her life to caring for people.  During her career in nursing, she cared for the sick, charted vitals and medical conditions, communicated with doctors and families and respected the circle of life.  Her career was practiced in hospitals and nursing homes from Pipestone, Mankato, La Crescent, Garfield, Alexandria, Waite Park, St. Cloud, Rochester, Benson, Starbuck, and her final workplace at Meadow Lane Nursing Home in Benson, MN.  In 2011, Beverly became a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church Altar Guild.

She was an awesome role model for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren by teaching them to be kind, caring, and respectful of one another.  Beverly enjoyed watching her grandchildren at their sporting events, plays, band concerts, playing Yahtzee and other games with them, and taking some of the kids to the Harvest Festival in Elkton, SD.  Bev also enjoyed camping with Jim and making food.  Her kids always loved her soggy fried chicken with milk gravy and Swiss steak meals.  Bev loved to play pinochle.  Her favorite pastime in later years was watching TV and she would always say “what would we do without TV.”

She is survived by her daughters: Susan (Paul) Bredeson of Willmar, MN, Kathy (Mike) Johnson of Benson, MN, and Jenny (Jason) Lindblad of Willmar, MN.  Grandchildren: Zachary (Teri) Johnson of Renville, MN, Megan Bredeson of Duluth, MN, Brittany (David) Mugg of St. Michael, MN, Lisa (Nick) Carlson of New London, MN, Adam (Megan) Lindblad of Sioux Falls, SD, Kaitlyn Lindblad and fiancé Omar Lopez of Mankato, MN, Madison Lindblad and special friend Esai Flores of Willmar, MN, and Brooklyn (Tyler) Stegeman of New Bern, NC.  15 Great Grandchildren: Scarlett, Gabriel, Asher, and Kanan Johnson, Hattie, Etta and Wyatt Mugg, Aubri and Archer Lindblad, Layla Lopez, Declan and Quinn Lindblad, and Jessan, Danica and Lily Carlson.

Beverly was preceded in death by her husband Jim, parents, granddaughter MacKenzi Johnson, sister Roween Cameron, brother Lyle Heesch and infant brother, brothers-in-law Jim Cameron, Robert Ehret, Charles Ehret, sisters-in-law JoAnn Heesch, Gen Ehret, Erma Ehret, nephew Phil Ehret, and nieces Carol Janssen and Judy Latham.