Elizabeth "Betty" L. Torson

Because of the covid pandemic risk and the restrictions with it, a family funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 31, 2020, at St Joseph Catholic Church, Friend, with Msgr. Adrian Herbek and Fr. Dan Torson officiating.  A rosary will be conducted prior to the mass.  A public visitation will be held on Friday from 1:00-8:00 p.m. at Lauber Funeral Home, Friend.  Interment is in St Joseph Cemetery.  Pallbearers are:  Gerald Volnek, Mark Drog, Chris O’Callahan, John Mattern, John Byers, Don Aden and Jack Speicher.  Memorials may be directed to the church. 

Elizabeth “Betty” Louise Torson was born June 26, 1933, on a farm in Nance County, Nebraska to Frank and Elizabeth (Bugay) Nowak, the 4th of 5 daughters, and passed away Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at her home in Friend, Nebraska at the age of 87. 

Betty attended Fullerton Public School and graduated with the class of 1950.  She furthered her education by enrolling at Lutheran College in Central City.  Betty received her teaching certificate and taught in rural country schools in Nance County before her marriage to Leonard Torson on June 2, 1956 in Fullerton.  To this union three sons and a daughter were born:  Daniel, Douglas, Diane and Duane.  Betty enjoyed various jobs over the years, the Friend Floral and Blue Blossom, the Dime Store, Warren Memorial Hospital and Pollard’s Dentistry.  Betty shared her late husband’s passion for quality healthcare by helping with numerous blood drives and delivering meals on wheels for many years.  She was one of the founding members of the Hospital Auxiliary and was honored in 2000 as Volunteer of the Year at the Warren Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer tea event.  Betty also was active with the Friend Federated Garden Club, was a cub scout and 4-H leader and ran the baseball concession stand in addition to being a mom and driving many miles to various ball games.  In addition to making Friend a better place to live, she was active with the St Joseph Catholic Church and Altar Society.  During the years St Joseph was working on building a new church, Betty served the offices of president and secretary while Leonard served on the building committee.  She taught CCD for many years and was often involved in the annual soup suppers and was known for her homemade noodles for the chicken noodle soup.  Her contribution also included leading the rosary and helping with the flowers at church as well as opening their home for visiting priests, nuns and religious helpers providing many meals for the sisters during the week of summer instruction. Along with doing crafts in her spare time, Betty loved going bowling and attending bowling tournaments with her teammates and playing occasional golf and participating in golf league. Betty loved the time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren.    

Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law, Fr. Daniel Torson, Chicago, IL, Doug and Maggie Torson, Lincoln, Diane Torson, York, Duane and Tonya Torson, Grand Island; her grandchildren, Darby, Taryn and Grant Torson; a sister and brother-in-law, Marie and Charles Werp, Omaha, several nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. 

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Leonard in April 2020, sisters and brothers-in-law, Eleanor Chereck, Phyllis and Frank Bosak, Regina and Edmund Drog and sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, Dorothy and Bub Ruttan, Ray and Chris and Bernard and Markie Torson.