Betty Lou Sterling

Betty Lou Rosemond Erickson Sterling passed away peacefully on December 14, 2022 at her home in Battle Lake, MN surrounded by family.

Betty was born January 10, 1930. The daughter of Carl and Rose Erickson and resided in Lake Lillian Township, south of Willmar, MN on a small farm. She attended country school and graduated from eighth grade. Later she attended high school in Willmar, MN while living with her grandparents Andrew and Annie Holmgren. While in high school, she worked part-time at Town Talk Bakery, Willmar Theatre, and the local roller rink, in addition to helping her grandmother who was bedridden at the time.

On January 12, 1947 she married Gordon “Red” Sterling and to that union there were three children: Kathryn LouAnn, Lynda Ellen, and Wayne Gordon. Before building their home in rural Fergus Falls in 1972, Betty and Gordon moved between Willmar, MN, California, Minnetonka, and New Germany, MN. While residing in New Germany, Betty worked at Hopkins House in Hopkins, MN and was very proud of her waitressing skills. The couple spent four years in the late 1980’s building houses and raising cattle in Minneola, TX, before moving back to the farm in rural Fergus Falls, MN. She was a hard-working farmer who took exceptional care of the livestock and her love for the animals showed. While living in Fergus Falls, Betty worked as a caregiver for various individuals through her 20 years in health care.

When she retired, she enjoyed spending time baking, canning, and gardening. She was very particular about her cactus plants. She also loved to go fishing with Gordon and pickling northern pike and pan sunnies was her favorite. If you didn’t find her outside on the farm or in the boat, she was inside playing cards. When her grandchildren came to visit it was always a great time to bake cookies and play Rummy, Hearts, and Kings Corner. Betty was a fantastic cook and baker. You would usually find her making fresh bread and rye buns weekly, and a 9x13 cake or tin of peanut butter cookies were always on the counter ready for someone to eat. She always looked forward to hosting family gatherings for many years at the Sterling Farm. In 2007, the couple sold the family farm and moved to Battle Lake, MN where they spent their remaining years with family close by. Betty was a member of Stavanger Lutheran Church.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Gordon Sterling; son, Wayne Sterling, and great-granddaughter, Stassi Teberg.

Betty is survived by her two daughters, Kathryn (Daniel) Langva, Clearwater, MN and Lynda Eklund, Battle Lake, MN; special family member, Laura Sterling (Wayne); grandchildren, Todd (Nancy) Eklund, Nathan (Beth) Eklund, Marc (Jaime) Langva, Eric (Shayla) Eklund, Derrick (Sarah) Langva, Sara (Luitovio) Faaaliga, Alicia (Nick) Teberg, Blake (Danielle) Sterling, Cally (Deven) Anderson, and Chelsea Sterling (Scott Andersen); great-grandchildren, Kaitlind (Maggie), Hannah (Lukas), Carson, Ella, Summer, Ethan, Troy, Avery, Junior, Parks, Luke, Olivia, Max, Emmitt, Sawyer, Zoey, Nevaeh, Haven, Gunnar, Lillian, Everly, Serena, Ragnar, and Sterling; special friends, Lonnie Payton and Becky Cordes.

Service: 1:00 p.m. Monday, December 19, 2022 at Stavanger Lutheran Church, rural Fergus Falls with a visitation one hour prior to start of the service at the church
Clergy: Reverend John Juhl
Interment: Stavanger Cemetery, rural Fergus Falls, MN

Arrangements provided by Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls.
Online condolences may be sent to www.olsonfuneralhome.com