Elizabeth “Bette” Stockert, age 88, formerly of Scranton, N.D., died Saturday afternoon, August 12, 2017, at the Wibaux County Nursing Home in Wibaux.
Visitation will be held from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, August 18, 2017 at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home in Mandan, N.D. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 18, 2017 at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery in Mandan with Deacon Bob Wingenbach officiating. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Bette was born June 18, 1929, in Morton County, the eighth of ten children to Philip and Magtelena Thomas of Solen, N.D. Raised and educated on the family farm until she finished the eighth grade, Bette then moved to Mandan, N.D. and lived and worked with a local family there while she attended high school. Following Bette’s graduation from Mandan Public High School, she married Arthur Stockert of Solen on June 23, 1947 in Morton County, N.D.
Bette and Art lived in Solen for a time before moving to Gascoyne, N.D. and then into Scranton, N.D., where they made their permanent home and raised three children, daughters Linda and Sandy, and son, Duane. When the children were all of school age, Bette began working as an assistant cook at Scranton Public School. After several years as a cook, Bette took a position as a teller in the Scranton branch of 1st National Bank, where she worked until her retirement in the early 90’s.
Bette’s priorities were her home and her children, and she was the biggest supporter of her son and daughters as they grew up and throughout their adult lives. As the family grew with grandchildren, Bette took pleasure in following all her grandchildren’s activities and interests. She had a special relationship with her oldest grandson, Jason.
She was a marvelous cook, and an accomplished seamstress, sewing many of her daughters’ school clothes. Bette enjoyed gardening, crocheting, reading and walking. Bette was involved in Scranton’s Sacred Heart Parish Circle and the American Legion Auxiliary. Whatever tasks or jobs Bette took on, she took pride in doing them well.
In 2000, Bette was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She moved to Glendive into Grandview Retirement Home where she resided for several years. Bette enjoyed her time at Grandview, but as the Alzheimer’s progressed, she became a resident at nursing homes in Glendive, Bowman, N.D., spending her final years at the Wibaux County Nursing Home in Wibaux.
Bette was preceded in death by her parents; eight of her brothers and sisters; and her husband, Art in 1998.
Bette is survived by her daughters, Linda (Gary) Andersen of Bowman, N.D., Sandra (Lance) Silha of Glendive, and Duane Stockert of Minot, N.D.; seven grandchildren, Jason Andersen of Bowman, N.D., Greg (Amy) Andersen of Killdeer, N.D., Ryan (Mattie) Andersen of St. Paul, Minn., Brent (Heather) Silha of Glendive, Blake (Tara) Silha of Belgrade, Ashley (Chris) Price of Beaumont, Texas, Kelly (Brandon) Dickinson of Minot, N.D.; twelve great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; and one brother, Richard (Marcy) Thomas of Spokane, Wash.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.