Daniel Funeral Home & Cremation Service

Betty Erlander

November 30, 2024 – May 16, 2020

Betty Erlander passed away at her home in St. Joseph with her husband Steve of 52 years and her two daughters, Julie and Megan by her side. She braved a long and courageous fight with cancer that started in 1998 but her battle was not hers to fight and she gave full control to God. She smiled through all of it and she served others beautifully. She was a woman of grace, of quiet strength, and an abundance of faith that she shared with many. Betty was a wonderful and gentle woman who adored her family and took beautiful care of her friends.

 

 

Due to the current circumstances a celebration of her life will be scheduled at Westwood Community Church in St. Cloud when we are all able to join together with friends and family to give her a proper farewell.

 

 

Betty was the youngest of three born to Raymond and Alice Bowers of Minneapolis, MN.  She attended St. Louis Park High School and later went on to the University of Minnesota where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. On August 10, 1968 she married Stephen Erlander of Minneapolis and they moved to Holdingford where she taught Kindergarten and 1st grade. After retiring from teaching in 2005, Steve and Betty moved to St. Cloud to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. When her health took a turn in 2017, gracious friends and family moved them to a beautiful home in St. Joseph.

 

 

Betty’s daily routine involved reading from her daily devotionals and journaling about her growing faith and her love for God. She loved reading and playing mahjong on the computer. She enjoyed watching the birds outside her living room window and spending time with her daughters and grandchildren.   She also very much enjoyed visiting with old friends and new friends in their homes sharing stories and holding others up in prayer.  But she especially loved being with Steve traveling and camping all over the US from Grand Marias to Colorado to Tennessee.  She was a regular attender and a faithful servant at Westwood Community Church in St. Cloud. She enjoyed volunteering in the nursery, participating in the Dash Ministry, greeting people at the door as they entered the church, as well as helping in the kitchen; preparing and serving Sunday refreshments.  Betty had the kind of giving heart that people remembered after spending time with her. She was joy and she was love and she will be missed by many.

 

 

Betty is survived by her husband Steve, her beautiful daughters and special sons-in-law; Julie & Cory Ehlert of St. Joseph, Megan & Joe Muellner of Sartell, Jeremy & Jess Rajkowski of Sauk Rapids, her precious granddaughters, Ciera, Cayley, Brooke, and Olivia, as well as her beloved grandsons, Preston, Blake, Cameron, Chase, Elijah, and Tyler, her brother Bill (Patty) Bowers of


Orlando, Florida, her brother-in-law Michael Erlander of St. Paul, brother-in-law Herb Polachek, nephews Dan and Bruce and more grand nieces and nephews.

 

 

Betty was preceded in death by her daughter Susan Rajkowski, her grandson Joshua Rajkowski, her parents, Raymond and Alice, her mother and father in-law, Philip and Agnes Erlander, and her sister Anne Polachek.

 

 

Betty’s family would like to thank the Coborn Cancer Center, the St. Cloud Hospital, The CentraCare Wound Center, and CentraCare Hospice for their extraordinary care in every season of Betty’s cancer journey. They would also like to thank the Daniel Funeral Home for their special care of Betty after her death and in her cremation.  You are the hands and feet of Jesus and we are forever grateful for your services.


Guestbook

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Thank you Mrs Erlander for the great Education and for being a great Teacher God bless Washintion student 69-70

Services

Schedule Details

Due to the current circumstances a celebration of her life will be scheduled at Westwood Community Church in St. Cloud when we are all able to join together with friends and family to give her a proper farewell