Betty Jo Elbrink

Betty Jo (Niemeier) Elbrink, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, passed from this life to her reward in Heaven on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at Deaconess Hospital from an apparent heart attack. Betty was born January 19, 1928, married the love of her life, Frank M. Elbrink on March 28, 1945 and together they enjoyed and dedicated their lives to their eight children. Through those years they not only vacationed at their home on Kentucky Lake, they taught invaluable life lessons through their love of fishing, boating, swimming, telling and retelling and making of life’s memories around nightly campfires. Betty and Frank enjoyed their retirement years by sharing winters in Ft. Myers Beach, FL with their children, grandchildren and longtime friends. They also spend those years developing many new lifelong friends. To this day their legacy lives on through their children and their families spending a grand reunion week together at Moors Resort on Kentucky Lake. Those numbers of children, spouses and grandchildren have now grown to more than 40 at their gatherings. Their most enjoyable parts of that reunion are the circle of love and trust where they pray before each meal and their telling (and embellishing) of the stories around their nightly campfires. Betty was an accomplished seamstress and as a young mother relished in making shirts, suits, ruffling dresses and later even prom and wedding dresses for her children and grandchildren. She didn’t stop there. She decorated her children’s homes with gorgeous drapes of their choosing and if there wasn’t a pattern – no problem – she just made up her own. Her love of sewing gave her innumerable hours of pleasure and accomplishment in her retirement years through her love of quilt making. One special Christmas she surprised her children with Christmas quilts of different designs that she had spent the entire year making. Her grandchildren looked forward to their “wedding” quilt they knew was on the way. Her dedication to St. Boniface Church was a part of that love of quilting and she spent many hours with her quilter friends, laughing and loving what they so masterfully made together. Betty and Frank’s years of service to the Church they so dearly loved included caring for many of the priests by sharing their vacation spots. They were founding members of Corpus Christi Church, dedicated a portion of their lives to St. James Church and retired worshiping at St. Boniface Church. Betty is survived by children and grandchildren she so dearly loved; son, Steve (Kathy) Elbrink and grandchildren, Katie (Logan, Will, Drew) and Bryan (Lyndsey) Lilly, Aiden, Madeline; daughter, Marilyn Elbrink and grandchildren, Stephanie (Aaron), Michelle (James); her children, Tyler (Abby), Travis; Kari (John); their children, Madison, Jordan and Cody; daughter, Teryl Sue Unfried (David); their children, Christy (John), Hailey, Michael; Tony (Angela), children, Anthony, Andrew, Thomas (Lisa), Timothy (Kristie); their son, Talon and Jack (Ronnie); daughter, Jennifer Robinson (Bill); grandchildren, Shelley (Shawn), Brayton, Garrett, Connor, Billy (Mel) Will, Teresa (Eric) Bailey, Jackson, Natalie, Charlie; daughter, Sharon Tackett (Terry); granddaughter, Melissa (Brian) Dylan and Colton. The family would appreciate your holding in special prayer our sister, Teryl Sue, her husband David and their son, Thomas who are unable to return from Australia at this time, but are with us in heart and spirit. In addition to her husband of 49 years, Francis M. “Frank” Elbrink; Betty was preceded in death by sons, Richard “Dick”, Robert Eugene “Bob”, and Dr. Larry Elbrink. She will be terribly missed by all their children and grandchildren. Son Bob, grandchildren, Todd (Chanthan) Mya, Tyler, Bella; Laura (Mark) Meagan (Ben) Lucy, Lincoln, Conner, Kate; son, Dick (Carol) Carla, Theresa, Rick, Kevin, Frank and Larry’s wife, Donna. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Rev. Simon Natha officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 until 8:00 P.M. on Friday at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 W. Franklin Street and from 9:30 A.M. until service time on Saturday at St. Boniface Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Riding Hope, c/o 3311 David Drive, Mt. Vernon, IN 47620 or to the Hadi Shriner Chidlren’s Hospital. Condolences may be made online at www.pierrefuneralhome.com.

Betty Jo Elbrink

January 19, 1928 - September 9, 2015