Ethel Mae Beuch

Ethel Mae Beuch, age 94, of rural Henderson, passed away on July 30, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. A Funeral Service for Ethel will be Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine with Rev. Sherri Otto, officiating. Visitation will start two hours prior to the service at the church. Interment at Brown Cemetery in Henderson will follow the luncheon.

Ethel was born on October 2, 1931, to Alfred and Esther (Nagel) Lieske on the family farm in Henderson Twp. She grew up on the farm and attended the one-room country school just a quarter mile from her home. After high school, Ethel went to Bethany College to obtain her teaching license. She started teaching at Hamburg-Green Isle and Norwood Young America Lutheran Schools before starting her own nursery school, Small World, in Henderson. She found her passion and priority in young children’s development which led her to obtain a Master’s degree in early childhood education from Mankato State University. From there, she spent time working for Kinder Care and Especially For Children in Eden Prairie as a teacher, and at Red Leaf Press in St Paul in as an early childhood education resource. Later she worked at Questar as an educational test assessor.

Ethel met Orville Beuch, and on September 10, 1954, they were wed. Their union would bless them with four children. They were married for 64 years before Orville passed in 2019.

Ethel enjoyed being involved in local democratic politics, gardening and attending the farmer’s market every weekend, and she kept her passions and sharp thinking until the end.

Ethel is survived by her children, Brett (Nickole) Beuch of Albertville, Rand Beuch of Le Sueur, Russ Beuch of Henderson, and Beth Beuch of Henderson; grandchildren, Random (Shandra) Snyder Beuch; chosen grandchildren, Joshua Snyder and Aaron Joseph Snyder; sisters, Lois Scherer, Carol Pogatchnik, Dorothy Peterson, Claire Dulgar, and Lorraine (Paul) Doring; and nieces, nephews, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Orville Beuch; sister, LaVonne Bangsund; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.