Elizabeth Brudos

Elizabeth “Betty” Brudos of La Crosse passed away peacefully July 25 ^th at home after a long battle with dementia and Parkinson’s disease. The world lost another kind, loving soul.

Betty was born in La Crosse, WI, to Elwin and Hilma (Jacobson) Storandt of rural Mindoro on November 23, 1929. She attended Mindoro High School where she met her life partner Robert “Bob” Brudos. They married on October 2, 1948 and moved to La Crosse in 1961. They enjoyed nearly 72 years together until Bob passed July 5, 2020.

Betty was the Mom who “did it all”. Not only was she a dedicated wife and mother, but a talented artist and successful business owner. She was a volunteer Girl Scout Leader, Sunday School teacher and chauffer for children; never content to sit still. She was a friend to many and always put other’s first.

In the mid 60’s she turned a hobby of loving ceramics and crafts into two businesses that became the Midwest hub of wholesale and retail crafts and ceramic supplies. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family. She loved kids, and her grandchildren brought more smiles and even greater meaning to her life.

Betty loved sports and one of her favorite past times was watching baseball. She followed the Cubs from the time she was a little girl. By far, Betty and Bob’s favorite past time was traveling to watch all the football, basketball and baseball games that her grandsons Jesse and Erik played spanning over 15 years. It might be freezing cold or raining buckets but they were there.

Betty and Bob sold their businesses and retired at age 62 but neither stayed idle. After a few months she decided to work at My Florist floral shop where she built many strong friendships. The business was sold 8 years ago so at age 82, she retired.

She is survived by two daughters, Dyanne (Roger) Brudos-Thornton and Mary Dawn Prindle, Grandchildren, Jesse Johnson, Erik (Katie) Johnson, step-grandchildren, Nick (Tanya) Thornton and Leslee (Thomas) Murphy, great granddaughter Maggie Johnson, Step-great grandchildren, Tristan and Katelynn Thornton and Melanee and Greyson Murphy. In addition to her husband Bob, she was preceded in death by her children Shirley and Steven, her parents and brother William Storandt.

Graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 2:00 P.M. at Lewis Valley Lutheran Cemetery, rural Holmen, WI. Pastor Scott Skogen will officiate.   Memorials are appreciated and can be directed to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse, Sugar Creek Bible Camp or Olivet Beacon of Light Church.