Beth Albrecht

Elizabeth “Beth” Jean Albrecht, age 68, of Henderson and formerly Belle Plaine, passed away on July 1st, 2024 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.  Friends and family are invited to attend a visitation to celebrate her life on Friday, July 12, 2024, from 4-7pm at the Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine.  A service will conclude the visitation at 7pm.  Following the service, a gathering with light refreshments will take place at Neisen’s Corner Rustic Room until 9pm.

Beth was born in Hendricks, MN on January 13, 1956, to Bud and Therese Morris.  A later family relocation brought her to Belle Plaine, MN where she graduated from high school in 1974.  She remained in Belle Plaine for most of her adult life, raising her four children (Dirk, Travis, Shea, and Chanse) and later watching her grandchildren grow.  Beth met Dan Westaby in 1999 and gained a bonus son in Bill.  She and Dan were fortunate to have had almost 25 happy years building a life together.

Beth made her living through the years doing one of her two of her favorite things: working with her hands and creating or taking care of others.  With very few exceptions, she preferred to spend her free time outside (with a baseball cap firmly on her head) – camping, planting, and especially fishing.  She had a razor-sharp sense of humor and will be remembered for her wit and her delight in pranking those around her.  Beth was the original DIYer.  She wasn’t afraid to take on tasks by herself.  Not one to ask for help, she’d keep trying until she figured out the solution to any challenge that presented itself.  The track came off your snowmobile?  No problem.  You want reeds painted on your duck boat? Done.  Homemade Halloween costumes for her children each year, caning chairs, painting murals, changing bike tires and chains - she did it all.  Not to mention that she was the truest of friends, an exceptional cook, and a caring and forgiving mother.

Her favorite place in the world was the farm outside of Henderson, MN that she and Dan brought to life.  If some people have a green thumb, Beth had a whole green arm.  Her knowledge of plants and animals and her ability to make things grow was unrivaled.  One of her greatest attributes was the joy she took in teaching and sharing her bounty with others.  She wouldn’t let you leave her house without taking something home with you, whether it was a dozen eggs, a tomato plant, or a kitten.   The luckiest recipients of her wealth of knowledge were her 6 grandchildren.  She enjoyed cooking, baking, flying remote-controlled airplanes, and quiet moments fishing in her pond with them, but mostly treasured just teaching them about the natural world, laughing at their antics, and watching them explore and learn.  They were each her pride and joy and she loved them with an open heart always.

Although the void she has left is sudden and great, the parts of herself that she so generously and readily shared will stay forever in the hearts of those she touched.

How lucky am I to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard - A.A. Milne

Beth is preceded in death by her parents Bud Morris and Therese Morris, an infant sister Mary Ann, father-in-law Bill Westaby, brother-in-law Kenny Nevins, and her beloved son Travis Albrecht.

She is survived by her longtime partner Dan Westaby; children Dirk Albrecht, Shea (Trace) Selly, Chanse Albrecht, and Bill Westaby; granddaughters Madison Albrecht (Garret Palmstein), Jada, Maya, Ariana, and Savanna Selly, and grandson Ryker Albrecht; great-grandchildren Nolan and Layla Palmstein; mother-in-law Pat Westaby; siblings Brenda Nevins, Ginger (Terry) Gregory, Pam (Jeff) Daugherty, Kelly (Karen) Morris, Melissa (Pat) Hanson, and Craig (Margaret) Morris.