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Betsy Ann-Marie Froberg Nordby, 51, of Center City, Minnesota passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 20, 2020, after a month-long battle with a bacterial infection and complications during surgery, at East Bank Hospital - M Health Fairview, at the U of M.

Beautiful Baby Betsy was born in Minneapolis on April 14, 1969 to Janet and Jim Froberg and brought back to the Froberg farm in Center City to eager brother Rick and sister Brenda.  Betsy spent hours each day chasing cats and kittens around the farm and if they tried to get away, little Betsy would just squeeze them a bit tighter.  She also enjoyed riding Bullet, her pony, and just being a regular farm kid where much time was spent getting into mischief with her brother Rick and neighbor Max Gustafson.  Betsy graduated from Chisago Lakes High School in 1987 and participated in cheerleading and track.  A standout sprinter for CLHS, Betsy still holds the 100 meter school record from 1985 sharing the record board with her daughter Hannah.

After graduating from CLHS, Betsy attended Gustavus College for two years before transferring to and graduating from Concordia College in Moorhead with a degree in psychology and minor in sociology in 1991.  During her college years, Betsy met future husband Mark Nordby at Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer where they spent several summers on staff.  
Betsy and Mark married on December 19, 1992 on a cold winter day at Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar and made their home in Ankeny, Iowa in the wonderful, close-knit neighborhood of Meadowlark Court.  Motherhood was Betsy’s greatest joy and Betsy gave birth to Hannah (23) and Gabe (18) at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Many great memories were made with the Meadowlark Court kids and parents.

Through the years, Betsy has always been in the people business, especially non-profit organizations where caring for others came naturally.  In Des Moines she worked at Camp Sunnyside, Easter Seals helping establish a daycare for children with mental and physical disabilities.  

In 2007, after 15 years in Iowa, the urge to be closer to family finally catapulted Betsy and family to Center City having purchased the home her brother Rick had built, adjacent to her parents.  Betsy enjoyed living back in her hometown, seeing her parents any time and having Hannah and Gabe experience life in the Minnesota countryside. While in the Chisago Lakes area, Betsy was employed at several companies including Hazelden, St. Croix Medical Center, and her most recent employment at Washington County--all in their Human Resources Departments.  

Betsy will be missed by the Chisago Lake Lutheran Church where she used her beautiful singing voice to share her faith, served on the church council, and led Sunday school sing-alongs.

Surviving family members include her parents, Jim and Janet Froberg; husband Mark Nordby; children, Hannah and Gabe Nordby; sister Brenda Legred (Joel); brother Rick Froberg (Jodi); brothers-in-law, Tim Nordby (Wanda) and Pete Nordby; sister-in-law Lisa Hildenbrand; nieces and nephews, Jamie, Mandy, Noah, Dylan, Erik, Graeson, Heather, Chris, and Brandon.  

Knowing Betsy meant you had a kind-hearted listener who made you feel special and important. Her radiant smile was a beacon of warmth.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Animal Humane Society as Betsy never lost her love of cats and dogs.  God Bless you daughter, sister, mother, aunt, friend and wife as you have blessed all of us.

Due to COVID concerns, a private family service and burial will be held Friday, November 27 at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church and Cemetery. The service can be viewed at Chisago Lake Lutheran’s Facebook page beginning at 2 p.m. Arrangements by Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom, Minnesota.

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