Elizabeth R. Larson, who was known as Betsy, 85, of Shawano, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in De Pere.
Betsy was born on Jan. 28, 1939, in Windham, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Foster Herbert and Virginia Evelyn (Pike) Richards. She grew up on a dairy farm, the third oldest of four daughters in Mansfield, Connecticut. They had 35 heads of dairy cows. When Betsy was 9, she started her lifelong care of a dairy herd. She graduated from Windham High School in Connecticut and then graduated from Windham State Teachers College in 1960 and taught in elementary school for one year in Wilton, Connecticut.
She was united in marriage to John D. Edgerton in Mansfield, Connecticut, in 1960, and they were the parents of five sons, Sean D. (Betty) Edgerton, Scott T. (Lori Stewart) Edgerton, Bruce R. (Lisa) Edgerton, Craig Edgerton and Ross (Cathy) Edgerton. They lived in various parts of the country and settled on a dairy farm in Shawano, where she raised her family, cared for her dairy cows and won many awards for her show cows at the Shawano County Fair.
Betsy received grand champion and junior champion both twice. She was pleased to have her dairy herd average 22,000 pounds per head one year. Betsy retired and moved to Sturgeon Bay, where her husband, John, passed away. She returned to Shawano where she built a new home.
Betsy met and married Elton Larson after moving back to the Shawano area, where they stayed until his passing. She had a favorite German shepherd named Jake and enjoyed gardening and quilting. In her later years, she was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Betsy is survived by her five sons and daughters-in-law; eight grandchildren, Bethany (Dylan) Ponchaud, Joshua (Adrian) Edgerton, Nicole (Matt) Detaege, Stephanie (Bryan) Springborn, Tanya Edgerton, Christina Edgerton, Haleigh Edgerton and Skye Edgerton; and numerous great-grandchildren; She is further survived by three sisters, Elle Lou, Barbara and Margaret from Connecticut, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Betsy was preceded in death by her husbands, John Edgerton and Elton Larson; and parents, Foster and Virginia Richards.
Private family services will be held.
www.swedbergfuneralhome.com
Elizabeth R. ‘Betsy’ Larson
