Mass of Christian burial for Elizabeth Louise "Betty Lou" Drapeaux, 84, of Monticello, Minn., and formerly of Aberdeen, will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 25, 2013, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 409 Second Ave. N.E., Aberdeen, with Father J. Joseph Holzhauser officiating.
Burial will be in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery following the service.
Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 Fifth Ave. N.W., Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.
Friends may sign her online guestbook at schriversmemorial.com.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, at the mortuary. There will be a liturgical wake service at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening.
Betty passed away peacefully on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Buffalo, Minn. During Betty's final days, she received loving and gentle care from the staff at Lakeview Living Center and Guardian Angel Hospice in Buffalo, Minn. We will be eternally grateful to them. They are in the process of building a new hospice home in Buffalo. The family prefers memorials to go to the Wright County Community Health Foundation to assist in this project.
Elizabeth Louise LeBrun was born Nov. 6, 1928, (election day - Herbert Hoover elected) to Fred and Sara (Gourneau) LeBrun in Fargo, N. D. Betty was of French and Chippewa descent and was raised on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indian Reservation. She attended school and graduated from Turtle Mountain High School in 1946. She furthered her education at the Minneapolis Business College. Betty held various positions with the Bureau of Indian Affairs until she retired as a budget analyst in 1990.
On Sept. 1, 1955, she married Richard "Dick" Drapeaux in Belcourt, N.D. They lived in Belcourt; Fort Totten, N.D.; New Town, N.D; and moved to Aberdeen in 1969, where her husband was employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Betty was a devoted wife and mother, raising four sons and one daughter, as well as maintaining a career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She always provided an example of love, caring and kindness to her family, friends and all those she met. She was known as a tremendous cook, especially famous for her potato salad and Boston baked beans. Betty will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her family and many friends. She was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Monticello, Minn.
Betty is survived by five children: one daughter, Gerianne (Steve) Pfeiffer, Aberdeen,; four sons: Darryl (Mary) Drapeaux, Frederick, Md., David Drapeaux, Bismarck, N.D., Terry Drapeaux, Monticello, Minn., and Robert Drapeaux, Wahpeton, N.D.; one sister, Mamie LaFromboise, Monticello, Minn.; one brother, Reggie (Doreen) LeBrun, Rapid City; 14 grandchildren: Tara Drapeaux, Shane Drapeaux, Yvette Drapeaux, Elizabeth Drapeaux, Joseph Drapeaux, Sarah (Mike) Monahan, John (Riley) Pfeiffer, Max Pfeiffer, Sam Pfeiffer, Jennifer Drapeaux, Charlie Drapeaux, April Drapeaux, T.J. Drapeaux, and Brandon Payer; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Betty's parents and husband preceded her in death.