Betty Jean (Lindstrand) Brown was born September 24, 1926, to Harvey and Elva Lindstrand at Kerkhoven, MN. She was baptized August 28, 1929. Betty attended country schools at Svea, Brooten, Jackson and Alpha. She attended Jackson High School for 1 ½ years, then attended and graduated from Willmar High School in 1944. While living near Alpha, Betty met the neighbor boy, Everett Brown. In 1942 Everett was drafted into the Army and served in Italy and Africa. Most of their courtship was by letters over the ocean. Everett came home on furlough in December 1944, and they were married December 31, 1944. After Everett was discharged in Oct. 1945, they moved to their first home, a farmhouse by the Des Moines River in Jackson County. They were blessed with four children, Judith, David, Jeanne, and Bonnie. In November 1963, they moved to a farm near Bergen and lived there 29 years. In 1964, they became foster parents to Mary Jo, whom Betty met while working as a nurse's aide. Mary lived with them four years. Betty and Everett moved to their own acreage in rural Bingham Lake in 1992 after Everett retired. Everett went into the nursing home in 2008, so Betty had an auction and sold the acreage. She then moved to the Windom Apartments. Everett passed away in 2012, after 67 years of marriage. Betty continued to live on her own until her death at the age of 94 years 11 months and 7 days. Betty was a housewife, farm wife, loving mother, and grandmother. She was a member of the Ladies Circle in United Methodist Church in Jackson, and taught Sunday School there for 8 years. She was a member of the neighborhood Birthday Club, and was a clothing leader in 4-H. Betty was in the Jackson County Extension Home Council. When her kids were older, she worked at the Cottonwood County Citizen newspaper as Circulation Manager for 8 years. After Everett and Betty's retirement, they continued to work hard cutting down trees and selling the logs, collecting scrap iron, and growing a large garden and bringing the produce to the Farmer's Market. Betty also sewed for In His Image Accessories. Betty treasured her family and loved every visit from kids and grandkids, and every family get-together. Betty was a wonderful seamstress, sewing the wedding dresses for all of her daughters. She also knitted many sweaters for her family, crocheted many doilies, and hand quilted countless quilts her daughters and granddaughters made. For several years, Betty and her daughters and granddaughters met for quilting craft weekends twice a year. In 2017, her hands could no longer do the work, so the girls honored her with a cake in celebration of all her years of quilting. For many years, she baked the most wonderful homemade bread and cookies. She also enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, Scrabble, crossword puzzles and reading. She had read 95 books this year. Betty is survived by her four children: Judith (Gerry) Berger of No. Mankato; David Brown of Devils Lake, ND, Jeanne (Dick) Emery of Hayfield, MN; Bonnie (Bruce) Caldwell of Windom, and foster daughter Mary Jo (Michael) Genin of Draper, UT. Eleven grandchildren: Todd (Mary Beth) Berger; Amy Berger; Grace Brown, Taya Brown, Alycia (Sam) Hoffart; Jessica (Todd) Sutton; Nathan Emery, Laura (Kellen) Piotter; Joshua (Tina) Caldwell, Sunny (Glen) Osland, Jake (Ginny) Caldwell; 2 foster grandsons, Christopher, and Collin Genin. 25 great grandchildren, Caleb, Makenna, Rachel, Seth, Rebecca, Sarah, Abby, Lydia, Luke, Benjamin, David, Alex, Everett, Heather, Clayton, Joel, Sadie, Sophia, Ruby, Emmett, Emery, Kaitlyn, Toby, Taylor, and Lane. 6 great great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Doris Nygaard of Hawick, MN; and a brother Harvey D. (Mary) Lindstrand of Kandiyohi, MN, She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Everett Brown; Daughter-in-law Sarah Brown, Grandson-in-law Kevin Beaver; Brothers and Sisters-in-law: Clifton Nygaard, John, and David Brown, Robert and Fern Brown, Joel & Mavis Brown, Sylvester, and Roxanna Siats. Six nieces and nephews.