Betty Schaller

Elizabeth A. “Betty” Schaller, age 93 years, of Gays Mills, Wisconsin and formerly of rural Wonewoc, passed away on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at the Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua.

She was born on December 27, 1915 to John and Geda (Peterson) Erickson at Dazey, North Dakota and grew up at Colfax and Stoughton, Wisconsin, graduating from Stoughton High School.  Later she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelors Degree in Education. 

Betty was united in marriage to Oscar Schaller, a native of Hillsboro, on June 14, 1941 in Stoughton.  Betty worked for two years in the Barneveld School District.  Betty and Oscar moved to their farm in rural Wonewoc in 1947, living there until 2008.  She taught English and Speech in the Hillsboro School District for 18 years and also was a Forensics Coach, with many A’s received in State Competition.  In addition she helped her husband with their dairy farm. 

She was a very active community member, involved in Book Clubs, Civic Clubs, Homemakers, 4-H, Historical Society, Democratic Party, Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups and the United Methodist Church in Wonewoc.  They won Conservation Awards with their farming practices and enjoyed gardening.  She also did volunteer work in Adult Literacy Training, Church, Adult Sunday School, and Passages Shelter.  

Survivors include her husband, Oscar; children Pattie (Bob) Lind of Rice Lake, Vern (Rosemary) Schaller of Rhinelander, and Lynda (Lamar Janes) Schaller of Gays Mills; and four grandchildren, Eric (Debbie) Lind of Atlanta, Catherine Lind of Chicago, Sarah Schaller-Bistodeau (Lucas Bistodeau) of Richfield, Minnesota, and Sheila (Joseph) Hein of Minocqua, Wisconsin.  She was preceded in death by her Parents and a brother, Carroll Erickson of Stoughton.