Elizabeth "Betty" Joeckel

Elizabeth “Betty” Joeckel, age 89 of Cottage Grove, passed away May 6, 2022.

Private family services will be held.

Elizabeth was born September 9, 1932 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to Woodward and Ruth (Chapel) Wilbur.  She attended school in nearby Lanesborough, which was a one room school house and later graduated from high school in Pittsfield.  She moved to Jacksonville where she worked for the telephone company.  While living in Florida, she met Gerald Joeckel and they were later married June 5, 1955, in Fairmont, Minnesota.  They made their home in Bloomington where she kept busy with her children’s activities until moving to Cottage Grove in the late 1960’s.  Betty started her 30 years of driving school bus for the district in 1978 and was known by many kids through the years as Mrs. Claus.

Betty enjoyed numerous crafts including painting, knitting and crocheting to name a few.  She was extremely outgoing and loved making friends and helping other people feel welcome.

She is survived by her children Jeffrey, Steven (fiancé Cheryl Cederberg), Jim (Lori), Linda (Greg) Milbrandt; 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.  Betty is preceded in death by her husband Gerald.