Elizabeth Kaul

Elizabeth E. "Bette" Kaul, age 96 of Faribault, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 12, 2016 in the early morning at St. Lucas Care Center, Sheltering Arms, where she had been living and being lovingly cared for by the staff for the past four years.

A Celebration of her caring, fun and interesting life will be held at The Inn at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault on Sunday, December 4, 2016 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. A memorial service will begin at 1:00 pm with Fr. Henry Doyle, officiating, followed by a light lunch, conversations and stories of Bette's life. Interment will be held at the St. Lawrence Cemetery, Faribault.

The family prefers that memorials be directed to Ruth's House of Hope or River Bend Nature Center in memory of Bette.

Arrangements are being completed by the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault.

Elizabeth Elaine, the daughter of Conrad and Constance (Hansen) Gislason, was born on July 25, 1920 in Tyler, MN. Bette graduated from Central High School in Minneapolis in 1938. She began her studies at the University of Minnesota, also working at Dayton's Campus Store where she met her future husband Tom as he was parading thru the store in an attention-getting stack of fedoras on his head. They were married May 17, 1941 at the Basilica in Minneapolis and moved to Mattoon, IL until Tom was called to serve in World War II. Bette then moved to Rochester, MN to live with her parents and two high school age brothers.

Bette and Tom moved to Faribault in 1946 where Bette soon became involved in making Faribault a healthy place to raise a family. She was on the founding committees of the Youth Coordinating Council, producing a booklet, "Points for Parents" in the '50's, FACE-Q, a ground breaking local recycling program, Faribault Vocational School, now South Central College, River Bend Nature Center and The Faribault Art Center, now Paradise Center for the Arts. She received the Service to Mankind Award from the Faribault Sertoma Club in 1990. Bette and Tom were also Grand Marshalls in the 2007 Heritage Day Parade. Bette was an active member of the Keller Club, the Monday Club, AAUW and PTA's at many schools.

Always an advocate of higher education, Bette proudly graduated from Mankato State University as an early childhood elementary educator in 1976. She was a talented artist in many mediums and taught children's summer art classes, the last class being held at their Cedar lake home and included a swim and a picnic.

Bette and Tom enjoyed traveling throughout their marriage of 67 years, experiencing life in other cultures being one of the highlights, often traveling with some of the kids.

Bette was preceded in death by her husband Tom in 2008, her parents, brother, Gerald and other relatives.

She is survived her brother Richard of Grand Rapids, MN and by her eight children and their families, Kathleen "Cassie" (Tom) Gerbig of Faribault, MN, Fran (Greg) Gretz of Stone Lake, WI, Anne (Paul) Schell of Faribault, MN, Cynthia (Keith) Kaul Anderson of Langley, WA, Tom (Helen Militich) Kaul of Wayzata, MN, Sarah (Mike) Kaul (Thorsteinson) of Faribault, MN, Posi (Chris) Beaudin of Livingston, MT and Joe (Cathy) Kaul of Lakewood, CO; by 35 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren who actively shared in her life always. SHE WAS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON! We will miss her, but rejoice in her ongoing presence in our lives!