Haak (Youso)
Bette Jayne “B.J.”
Bette Jayne Youso was born in Foley, MN and attended Foley HS and the College of St. Benedict. Upon graduation, she began her Music and English teaching career at Ogilvie, MN where she met Louis Haak of Stillwater and they were married in 1960 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Foley.
They lived in St. Paul, Maplewood, N. St. Paul and Woodbury, MN. She continued her teaching at Cleveland Jr HS and was a substitute teacher before earning her master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls in Guidance Counseling. She worked at Hill-Murray HS and various HS in St. Paul as a counselor before retiring in 1996.
She is survived by three children, Christopher (Alesia), Nicolee (Steve) Nelson, and Suzanne (Todd) Miner, 14 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Siblings Lu Molberg, Ron Youso, Joan Wisniewski, and Catherine Mumma. Preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Louis Haak, brothers Gary and Severin Youso and parents Severyn and Irene Youso.
She was very involved in her church and community with selfless volunteering in an extraordinary number of roles: foster parent and grandparent, a longtime advocate for the upper Midwest Kidney Foundation, home visitor for Catholic Charities, Chairman of foreign student exchange at U of MN, coach of girls youth sports, prayer shawl ministry and religious organizations at St. Peters and Transfiguration Catholic Churches, Benedictine Oblate at St. Paul’s and St. Benedict’s Monastery. She loved to sew, knit, crochet, fish, camp, garden and play cards, and loved to visit cousins and spend time with family and grandchildren. A loving wife and extraordinary mother and grandmother who created a welcoming home for everyone. She was a world traveler, great cook, and always thought of others with acts of kindness, food and drink.
She was the first woman elected to serve on the N. St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale school board in 1975, serving for 15 years and as chair for eight years. She was honored as one of the most outstanding school board members in the state of MN, the only person from the district to attain this honor. She continued to serve the district on the Community Education Advisory Committee for many years.
Visitation from 4-8 pm on Wednesday May 26, the Rosary will be said at 6:30 pm at Sandberg Funeral home in N. St. Paul and from 9:30 am - 10 am at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Oakdale on Thursday May 27 preceding Chaplet of the Divine Mercy at 10 am with Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 am. Burial to follow at St. Mary’s cemetery in N. St. Paul and luncheon at the VFW Post 1350 in North St. Paul at noon. Memorials preferred to the Haak Educational Scholarship Fund at Transfiguration Catholic School.