Betty Ziebarth

Betty "Elizabeth" Ziebarth, age 89 of Faribault, passed away Saturday, June 2, 2012 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN following an extended illness.    Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Medford Congregational United Church of Christ, with Pastor Louise Bender officiating. Private interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN.    Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault on Wednesday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and at the church on Thursday for one hour prior to services.    Betty requested that memorials be sent to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation.    Betty Jeanne Barta, the daughter of Frank and Hazel (Easton) Barta, was born on May 8, 1923 in Kintyre, ND. Betty was raised in Minneapolis and attended school there. She attended the University of Minnesota and earned her Degree in Education. Betty was a Special Education teacher in different communities including, Belgrade, Mapleton and Faribault. She was a strong advocate for children and was passionate about teaching children how to read in the Faribault Schools. As a volunteer she established the Project Read program in the Immaculate Conception School. Betty was a gardener, an author of a book on herbs and was working on stories about her family history. She was united in marriage to Carl Ziebarth on September 6, 1951 at St. Helena's Church in Minneapolis.    Betty is survived by her husband Carl; by three children, Ann Ziebarth (Jeff Crump), John Ziebarth (Kathy) and their daughters Lauryn and Julie, and Matthew Ziebarth (Jana), and their sons Dan and Sam; and by her sister Maxine Watson and other relatives and friends.    She was preceded in death by her parents and by her siblings Frank Barta, Paul Barta, Lois Fergen and Phyllis Hubbard.