Elizabeth Aurelia Krause Brown passed away on February 21, 2010, at the Syverson Lutheran Home in Eau Claire, WI. Beth was born on June 11, 1922, in Eau Claire. She was a life-time member of St. John's Lutheran Church. Over the years, at St. John's, she sang in the choir; taught Sunday school; was Sunday School Superintendent; on the ALCW Board; Chair of the Community and World WELCA Board; in charge of funerals; a part of the prayer chain; and until recently was in the Tuesday morning Bible class which met in her apartment. She held several offices in Women of the ELCA, was on many committees concerned with hunger and on the Board of Feed my People. \r\nFollowing graduation from high school in 1939, Beth was employed at US Rubber, then Uniroyal from 1939 until 1965 when she was commissioned by the American Lutheran Church for missionary work in Papua New Guinea. She was in New Guinea from 1965-1972. She loved to travel and visited Hong Kong, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia, Germany, Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt, and fishing in Canada. \r\nFor many years Beth was a member of the Ladies and Badger Femmes Bowling League. In 1995 she was inducted into the Eau Claire Women's Bowling Association Hall of Fame and held the highest score in women's bowling in Eau Claire from 1952-1992. She loved sports and was a life-long Badger, Brewers and Green Bay Packers fan. \r\nIn November of 1973 Beth married Ralph Brown and in the process acquired a ready-made family. She was grandma right from the start. Beth and Ralph were married for 19 years until Ralph died in 1992.\r\nBeth was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Wilhelm Gustav Krause and Minna Louise Graper Krause, who raised her; her parents Erdman Ferdinand Heinrich Krause and Marion Wright Krause and by her husband, Ralph Otto Brown. She is survived by step-daughters, Beret Elizabeth Griffith of Northfield, MN; Ruth Joan Carlbom of Lincoln, Nebraska; nine step-grandchildren, Greta Hanson (Rogelio Silva), Chrystina Hanson, Benjamin Hanson (Cassandra Hanson), John Carlbom, Mark Carlbom (Sue), Peter Carlbom (Joyce), Sara Tuder (Jeff), Dana Griffith, Brian Griffith (Lani Kian) and twelve step-great-grandchildren: Camille Hanson, Isabelle Hanson, Lillian Hanson, Gabrielle Hanson, Gonzalo Pirela Hanson, Manola Silva Hanson, Eric Carlbom, Jona Carlbom, Casey Carlbom, Ryan Tuder, Shelby Tuder, Evea Kaldas, Andrew Kaldas. By cousins, Doris Rulien, Bill Thompson, Ruth Wardle and their children.\r\nMany thanks to Hazel Holten who lovingly helped to care for her these past few months. to Pat Zachau and her late husband Fred who were especially dear to Beth's heart, and to their son Pete who is the keeper of Beth's genealogical record.\r\nMemorial Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, March 5, 2010 at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1804 Highland Avenue, Eau Claire with Pastor Nathan Aaseng officiating. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Eau Claire. Visitation will be one hour prior to services Friday at the church.Family requests memorials be directed to ELCA World Hunger or St. John;s Community World Ministry, c/o St. John's Lutheran Church, 1804 Highland Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701.

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