Elizabeth Dick

Elizabeth Epp Dick was born near Delft, Minnesota on November 14, 1913 and spent her first years on the farm of her father, Daniel Epp. She worked alongside brothers and sisters, and vividly remembered her father breaking and using horses for farming activities. She grew up in a home of faith, where after chores and breakfast every morning the family would gather for a short devotional. In the early years her family attended the Mennonite Brethren Church in Mt. Lake, and Elizabeth was later baptized at Bethel Church on May 28, 1933. The childhood years on the farm were marked by a series of tragedies. Her mother Anna (Ewert) Epp died when Elizabeth was two years old. This was followed by her stepmother Susan (Fleming) Epp's passing when she was 9, and her father's death in 1926when she was 12, shortly after marrying his third wife, Bertha (Rogalsky) Epp. Her brother Sammy (age 11) died of scarlet fever when she was 15. In 1927 the farm was sold, older brothers Dan and Albert moved away, and the remainder of the family moved in with relatives or with her stepmother. Upon graduation from high school in 1933, worked at the Mt. Lake pharmacy, and lived with and cared for her stepbrothers Henry and Rueben, and stepsister Clara for a number of years in a two room apartment. In 1936 Elizabeth married Ben P. Dick and they took on the care of Rueben, while sister Sue and her husband Henry Kliewer provided care for Henry. The highlight of those years was Henry and Rueben playing on the Mt. Lake team that won the 1939 statebasketball tournament. Elizabeth settled in as a loving mother and homemaker, raising three children (Kathy, Charles and Richard). Her home was warm and inviting, and she maintained a large garden that resulted in a major food canning effort every fall. She was involved in many church activities including the Mission Society, choir, and Sunday school teaching. She was also an active volunteer in the community and the school. Guests, and her ever-growing extended family were always treated to hospitality and good food. Most notable were her twieback for Sunday faspa and the thousands of perishki (fruit pockets) she made over the years that were regular fare at the Mt. Lake Heritage Festival and the MCC Relief Sale. As a faithful supporter of her husband and the shoeshop he ran for 44 years, she would periodically clean the shop from one end to the other. It would inevitably return to its original dusty state under the benign neglect of Ben. After 64 years of marriage Ben passed away in 2000, and Elizabeth entered another stage of her life that revealed her inner strength and independence. She continued to be active in the community, including work at the Care and Share Shop that continued into her 90s. She lived independently in her home until her passing on February 20, 2007 at age 93 due to an unexpected intestinal illness.Throughout her life Elizabeth had a strong faith and an awareness of God's presence, which helped to maintain her positive spirit to life's challenges - particularly those of her early years. She had a love of music. This resulted in reluctant attendance of the children and husband to local productions of the Messiah which enabled Ben to catch a few winks. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was a servant throughout her life, always putting her family and friends ahead of her own needs. She took an active interest in the lives of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by all who came to know her, and especially by her daughter Kathy Martens and husband Jim (Winona MN), her son Charles Dick and wife Diane (Rochester MN) and her son Richard Dick and wife Linda (Columbus OH). She also had 7grandchildren: Randy Martens (Minneapolis MN), Mike Martens (Egan MN), Diane Ristau (Owatana MN), Paul Martens (Burnsville). Aaron Dick (Portland OR), Cara Dick (Portland OR), Isaac Dick (Corvallis OR), Steve Dick (Minneapolis MN), and Andrew Dick(Mankato MN), and 7 great-great grandchildren. She was the last surviving member of her family and was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel and Anna Epp, her sister Sue Kliewer, stepsister Clara Paulsen, brothers Dan and Albert, and stepbrothersSammy, Henry and Rueben.