Beth Anna (Miller) Berhow, 58

Published 10:43 am Monday, September 14, 2015

Beth Anna (Miller) Berhow passed away on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, surrounded by loved ones.

Berhow

Beth was born Aug. 24, 1957, grew up on the family dairy farm in Oakland with her parents and five brothers and sisters, and graduated from Austin High School in 1975. After high school, she received her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Minnesota — Waseca.

After over 20 years of being neighbors and friends and more than 15 years of convincing on his part, Beth married Steve Berhow on April 22, 1978. This year marked the 37th of a marriage that grew in love and admiration with each passing day. Beth has been a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church since 1978.

For 35 years, Beth worked as a preschool teacher in Austin. She had lots of reasons for loving her profession, including the fact that students always thought she was about their age because she wasn’t much taller than they were. To countless parents and students over the years, she was a cheerleader and often, a saving grace. The children in her classroom learned their ABC’s, shapes and colors, and skills to be the most kind, brave, successful little person they could be.

Their daughter, Amber, was born in July 1982, and son Luke would follow in the same month three years later. In her role as mother, she made Amber and Luke the luckiest children. This said, Beth would have been the first one to tell you that the only thing that could rival being a parent was being a grandparent. Her granddaughter and best friend, Olive Elaine Jones, was born Jan. 20, 2013.

Beth is survived by her husband, Steve of Oakland; son, Luke of Oakland; daughter and son-in-law, Amber and Josh Jones of Austin; granddaughter, Olive; brothers and sisters: Mary Nelson, Jordan, Minnesota, Dick Miller, Oakland, Minnesota, John (Alana) Miller, Oakland, Minnesota, Lisa (Mike) Schwartz, New Ulm, Minnesota, Heidi (Loren) Sellner, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota; mother-in-law, Darlene Berhow, Oakland, Minnesota; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: David (Louise) Berhow, Austin, Minnesota, Jeanne (Ron) Wangen, Oakland, Minnesota, Brian (Nancy) Berhow, Hayward, Minnesota; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Elaine and Francis Miller; and father-in-law, Mitch Berhow.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, at Westminster Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Michael Olmsted officiating. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery, Oakland, Minnesota. Visitation will be at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. and at the church on Thursday for one hour before the service.