Person Page - 1131

Ethel E. (Jackson) Bezanson of Eastham, a retired jewelry buyer, died Saturday at home after a yearlong battle with cancer. She was 81.

Born in Cambridge and educated in Cambridge and Boston, she later retired to Cape Cod.

Mrs. Bezanson was a buyer for Thomas Long Co. Jewelers of Boston. She traveled often to Europe in search of specialty items.

She was a Sunday school teacher and choir member of Ruggles Street Baptist Church in Boston. She attended Christ Chapel in Centerville following her retirement.

Mrs. Bezanson is survived by her husband, William H; a brother, Albert F. Jackson of South Yarmouth; three stepsons, W. Paul Bezanson of Geneva, Ill., Charles A. of North Carver and David W. of Concord, N.H; two stepdaughters, Carol J. Erickson of Portland, Ore., and Janee Peluso of Lynnfield; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a niece; and four grandnieces and grandnephews.

A memorial service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Christ Chapel. Burial will be private. Arrangements by Nickerson Funeral Home, Orleans.²

Elsie Marie (Pierce) Bezanson, 90, fell asleep in Christ on Saturday, March 27, 2004, in Aurora, Illinois.

She was born in Baraboo, Wisconsin, on the family farm on September 21, 1913. She was the middle child of nine born to Walter and Winifred Pierce. Elsie has lived in Aurora since 1963, living on Commonwealth Avenue and Garfield Avenue, spending three wonderful years at Sunnymere from 2000 to 2003, and for the last year has been lovingly cared for at Jennings Terrace Nursing Home.

Elsie graduated from Baraboo High school and then went to Aurora College in Aurora, Illinois. During her college years, she was very proud of the fact that she and her sister, Dorothy sold their own homemade pies, homemade donuts, fresh produce from their family farm and fresh milk and eggs at Devil's Lake in Baraboo to all who made their summer home there. This is how they made money for college. It was at Aurora College that she met her sweetheart, R. Marshall Bezanson, from Sommerville, Mass. They were married on June 15, 1938, after they both had graduated from Aurora College. Marshall served as an Advent Christian minister, and together they served the Lord in Advent Christian churches in Watertown, Wisconsin; Auburn, Illinois; Rockbridge, Ohio; Madison, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. They both returned to their Alma Mater in 1963 where Elsie worked in the Dining Hall as a cook until she retired in 1984. She was affectionately known as "Mrs. B" to all the students, some of whom were children of her own college classmates. She received the Spirit Award at Aurora University, and in 1984 was given a plaque at her retirement dinner- "to a Special Spartan Fan, from the Coaching Staff." One of the Highlights during her years at Aurora College was a trip that Elsie and Marshall took with other Aurora College alumni and friends to the Holy Land in November/December of 1976.

Elsie was know especially for her peanut brittle. She made batches and batches of this at Christmas time especially, but also at other times throughout the year. She gave most of it away. It was a recipe that she had received back in Ohio. Everyone Loved Mrs. B's peanut brittle! She was very proud of the fact that she got her first driver's license at the age of 14. Driving was also very hard for her to have to give up. She was a dear sweet lady who, with her husband, loved people and helped anyone they could. She was a blessing to everyone, never complaining, and a shining and faithful light for her Savior. She loved being a servant for the Lord.

She is survived by her three children and spouses, Barbara "Bambe" (Bill) Wrought of Aurora, Faith (Rod) Read of Aurora and Ray (Jan) Bezanson of Watertown, Wisconsin. She is also survived by a sister, Margaret Palmer of Allenton, Wisconsin; and two brothers, Henry H. Pierce of Aurora and Roger O. (Nola) Pierce of Grand Rapids, Minnesota; as well as two sisters-in-law, Marjory Pierce of Baraboo, Wisconsin and Joyce Pierce of Port Richey, Florida. She is also survived by three brothers-in-law, Donald G. Bezanson, Art (Mary) Bezanson and John (Audrey) Bezanson. Also surviving are ten grandchildren, Sue (Brian) Gustafson, Christine (Rashed) Taher, Catherine (Niels) Bergstrom, Stephen Wrought, Peggy Read, Andy (Suzanne) Read, Cindy Read, Aaron Bezanson, Seth Bezanson and Megan (Scott) Renaud; ten great grandchildren, Shawn, Kyle and Brandon Gustafson, Noah, Isaac and Aaron Taher, Madeline, Samantha and Caroline Bergstrom and Ashley Fletcher; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her husband of 61 years, Roland Marshall Bezanson; her brothers, Kenneth Pierce, Donald Pierce and Walter Pierce, Jr; a sister, Dorothy (Douglas) Parent in December of 2003; an infant sister, Grace; sisters-in-law, Dyrrell Pierce, Marlene Pierce and Barbara (Colby) Bezanson; and brothers-in-law, Horace Palmer, Lowren Douglas and Gaile Parent.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 1, 2004 at 1 PM at the Aurora Advent Christian Church, 905 Edgelawn Ave.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 from 3 to 8 PM at The Healy Chapel, 332 W. Downer Place, Aurora. The family will greet friends and family from 11:30 AM until the time of the memorial service at the church. There will also be a memorial service at the Watertown, WI Advent Christian Church on Sunday, April 4, 2004 at 2 PM. Burial will be private at Lincoln Memorial Park.²

Elsie Marie Bezanson, 90
Aurora University cook was 'mom to many'
By Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the Tribune.

For more than two decades, Elsie Marie Bezanson made sure that no student went hungry at Aurora University.

Sometimes it meant opening the school cafeteria earlier than usual, so athletes could eat before starting their workouts. Other times it was keeping food warm just a little longer so students running late from a class had a shot at supper.

Mrs. Bezanson, 90, a retired cook at Aurora University and a former graduate, died of pneumonia Saturday, March 27, at her home in Jennings Terrace Nursing Home, Aurora.

"She was like a mom to many at the college," said her daughter Barbara Wrought. "When students overslept and came rushing into the cafeteria at the last minute, she'd stick around to see that they got a hot breakfast. She made the best gooseberry pie, and students and staff were always asking her to save them a piece whenever she made it."

Born and raised in Baraboo, Wis., on her family's dairy farm, Mrs. Bezanson was one of nine children. To help pay for college, she and her late sister, Dorothy, sold their homemade pies and doughnuts, fresh produce and dairy products to people with summer residences at the nearby Devil's Lake resort area.

"She must have had quite a business going, because it's not like she charged all that much," said her son, Ray.

It was at Aurora University, which was then called Aurora College, that she met R. Marshall Bezanson, who became her husband for 61 years and died in 2000. After graduating, the couple got married, and Marshall Bezanson became an Advent Christian minister, serving for 25 years in churches throughout the Midwest.

In 1963 Mrs. Bezanson returned with her family to Aurora and to her alma mater, where her husband was in charge of office services and she worked in the dining hall as a cook. She became known as "Mrs. B" by the students, many of whom were children of her classmates.

"The only thing students loved more than her cooking was seeing her radiant smile every time they walked into the cafeteria," said her daughter.

Before her retirement in 1984, Mrs. Bezanson received the college's Spirit Award and was given a plaque at her retirement dinner that read "To a Special Spartan Fan, from the Coaching Staff." In 1975 the student yearbook was dedicated to her and her husband in appreciation for their support over the years.

"She was just a dear, sweet lady who always put people first," her daughter said.

Survivors also include another daughter, Faith Read; brothers Henry and Roger Pierce; a sister, Margaret Palmer; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Healy Chapel, 332 Downer Pl., Aurora. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday in Aurora Advent Christian Church, 905 Edgelawn Ave., Aurora.⁴

Catherine D. Bergstrom (nee Wrought), 39, beloved wife, cherished mother, precious daughter and sister, wonderful daughter-in-law and sister-in-law, treasured niece and cousin, honored friend, respected co-worker and friend to all. A resident of Wheaton, IL, she passed away peacefully to a life of no more pain on Thursday, November 24, 2005 at home.

She was born September 9, 1966 in Aurora, IL. She lived her whole married life in Wheaton.

Catherine was born ten minutes after her twin sister, Christine. She attended Greenman Elementary School, Jefferson Middle School, and graduated from West Aurora High School in 1984. Cathy went to Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, graduating with a degree in Art in May of 1988. She began working that fall at Tyndale Publishing House in Wheaton where she was employed in the Design Department. She truly loved her job, being able to use the gifts God gave her to help others in their own spiritual walk. She loved her Lord with all her heart, and His light shown through her. She loved life and remained optimistic, positive, and strong in her faith. She chose to live her life rather than be overcome by her illness.

While Cathy was at Carthage College, she met a young man named Niels Bergstrom from Copenhagen, Denmark who stole her heart and gave her everything she ever wanted in a husband and a father to her children. The Lord honored them by giving them Madeline Christine in June, 1998, Samantha Marie in November 1999 and Caroline Grace in January of 2003 (on Daddy's birthday).

She will be remembered very lovingly by her husband, Niels Bergstrom; her daughters, Madeline, Samantha and Caroline; her parents, William and Barbara "Bambe" Wrought of Aurora; sisters, Susan Gustafson of Clarksville, TN and Christine (Rashed) Taher of Grand Rapids, MI; brother, Stephen Wrought of Chicago; parents-in-law, Bo and Ulla Bergstrom of Copenhagen, DK; sister-in-law, Mie Bergstrom of Denmark; soon-to-be sister-in-law, Christine Velez; nephews, Shawn, Kyle and Brandon Gustafson of Clarksville, TN, Noah, Isaac and Aaron Taher of Grand Rapids, MI and Emil Bergstrom of Denmark; and many, many friends from high school, college, her neighborhood, church, work and Denmark.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, William and Edna Wrought; and her maternal grandparents, Rev. R. Marshall and Elsie Bezanson, all of Aurora.

A memorial visitation will be held on Monday, November 28, from 3 to 9 PM at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St. in Wheaton. A memorial service will be held at 4 PM on Tuesday, November 29, at St. Matthew United Church of Christ, 1420 S. Gables in Wheaton. Interment is private.²