Betty Mae Elaine Bender (Edstrom), 84, of Red Wing

Betty Mae Elaine Bender (Edstrom), of Red Wing, passed away Sunday, March 22, 2009, at the age of 84 from injuries suffered from a fall on Saturday, March 21, 2009, while walking her beloved dog Toby.

Betty Mae was born to Reuben and Mollie Edstrom on Aug. 10, 1924, in Wastedo Township, Goodhue County. Betty graduated from Cannon Falls High

School in 1942. She went on to study music at St. Olaf College and received her B.A. in Music in 1946. She sang in the world renowned St. Olaf choir under its founder, F. Melius Christiansen.

She was an accomplished pianist, organist and taught piano and voice throughout her life. She inspired many students with her intense love of music and she had a number of piano students at the time of her death.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Rueben and Mollie Edstrom and her husband Fritz.

She is survived by her four children: Frederick "Fritz" (Joanne) Bender, South Lyon, Mich., Heidi (Marc) Nyman, Eden Prairie, Minn., Terrence "Terry"

(Lucia) Bender, Plymouth, Minn., and Siri (Mahmoud) Soltan, Minnetonka, Minn. Five grandchildren: Stephen, Jennifer and Lisa Bender, Theodore "Ted" Bender, and Britta Soltan and many extended family members and friends.

A celebration of Betty's life will be on Saturday, April 25 at First Lutheran Church, W. Fifth St., Red Wing, MN 55066 with visitation at 10 a.m. and the service at 11 a.m. There will be a private internment at Spring

Garden Lutheran Church.

Memorials may be given in her honor to First Lutheran Church, Red Wing, Minn. or to your favorite charity.

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