Betty French of Cherokee, Iowa, 91, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at the Gardens Assisted Living where she had resided the last 4 1/2 years. Funeral services were held on Saturday, January 28 at the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee.
Elizabeth May Caswell, the daughter of Andrew and Bertha (Wright) Caswell, was born April 28, 1925 in Cherokee. Her childhood years were spent in Cherokee, where she attended school and graduated from Wilson High School in 1943.
Betty earned a degree in history from Lake Forest College in Illinois. In 1947 she was united in marriage to Lawrence Charles French at the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee. After 10 years of living on his family’s farm, they moved to Cherokee when Larry took over the operations of Caswell Manufacturing.
Betty was a full-time housewife and mother to five children. She was an avid bridge player. Betty and Larry enjoyed their many friends and good times at the Cherokee Country Club and Speelman’s Steakhouse. They flew in Larry’s plane for an annual trip to Las Vegas and Phoenix.
In the early 1950s they discovered the great fishing and incredible beauty of the northern woods in Minnesota. While staying at Golden Eagle Lodge on the Gunflint Trail, they became friends with Harry and Margaret Nolan. They bought adjacent properties on Hungry Jack Lake. Betty and Larry built their cabin in 1957 and spent every summer there, sometimes flying into Devil’s Track airport. Her beloved Larry passed away in 1986. The cabin is their legacy and is enjoyed by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Betty is survived by her five children, Connie
Redd of Des Moines, Iowa, Tom (Pam) French of Ankeny, Iowa, Lorri (Brian) Winterhof of Cherokee, Barb (John) Bottger of Grand Marais, and John (Sara) French of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 15 grandchildren (including Ryan Bottger of Hovland); and 14 great-grandchildren.
Betty was a lovely lady and showered her kindness upon anyone she met.
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