Elizabeth Herbert

Elizabeth A. “Betty” Herbert

August 12, 1931 – October 3, 2020

Elizabeth Ann Schnell was born August 12, 1931, in Aitken, Minnesota, the sixth of ten children born to Anthony and Christine (nee Fazendin) Schnell. The family later moved to Stillwater, where Betty attended St. Michael’s Catholic School and graduated from Stillwater High School in 1949.

She married Richard Herbert on May 1, 1954.  They moved to Marine on St. Croix.  While they raised four children, they enjoyed boating on the St. Croix River and entertaining.   Betty also enjoyed sewing, bridge club, and flower gardening and was a fierce Scrabble player.  She worked at Marine Elementary School, an antique shop, and Stillwater High School.

In 1973 Betty earned her realtor’s license and began working for Century 21 in Stillwater.  In 1976, she moved to downtown St. Paul where she sold real estate for Edina Realty and enjoyed attending opera and jazz concerts, collecting swan artwork, and traveling. She also kept oodles of flowers flourishing on her balcony.

Betty was a champion of causes.  She participated in a campaign to save a large tree in front of the Marine Library from destruction.  She also worked tirelessly to advocate affordable housing for residents of downtown St. Paul.

Betty was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and moved to Boutwells Landing in Stillwater in January 2014.  She lived there until testing positive for Covid-19 in September 2020, then moved to Interlude Restorative Suites in Fridley.  She passed away peacefully on October 3, 2020.

Betty is survived by her children, Peggy (Jim) Krikava of Brewster, Massachusetts, Jim (Teri) Herbert of Stillwater, and Carol (Sam) Sanders of Brooten, Minnesota; grandchildren Jamie (Matt) Ronin, Emily (Paul) Anderson, Josef (Brianna) Krikava, Dan Herbert, Sami (Zack) Morris), Jenny Herbert, Tony Sanders, and Michelle Sanders, and twelve great-grandchildren; sisters Dorothy Gerson, Josephine Becker, and Jeannine (Craig) Hoffbeck, all of Stillwater; brother Jerome Schnell of Port Townsend, Washington; 25 nieces and nephews; and numerous other relatives and friends.  She is preceded in death by her parents; siblings Agnes Burgess, Marguerite Gedatus, Mary McCoy, Thomas Schnell, and Raymond Schnell; in-laws Tom Gerson, Howard Burgess, Bobbie Schnell, Earl McCoy, Eva Schnell, Jim Becker, Betty Schnell, Carol and Walter Wallace, and Sam and Marlene Herbert; ex-husband Richard in 2004; daughter Dawn Herbert in 2010; and nephews Ricky Gedatus, Tony Schnell, Joe McCoy, and Willy McCoy.

May God bless the memory of Elizabeth Ann Herbert.

Private family service 11:00AM on Wednesday, October 14th at the Church of St. Michael in Stillwater. Interment to follow at St. Michael's Cemetery in Bayport.  Since the service is private, the family requests that you leave condolences on Betty's Tribute Wall at www.bradshawfuneral.com.

A livestream of Betty's service can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/StillwaterCatholics/videos/

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer's Association.