Dear Classes of 1955, 1958, 1977, 1985, 2017 & 2022:

This is a Deacon Alert to inform you of the passing of Elizabeth "Betty" (Brown) Bossart ('55) on Wednesday, Oct. 15th.

Betty was a member of the Class of 1955, the sister of Debbie (Brown) Nelson ('58), the mother of Sherry (Bossart) Stoa, Laurie Bossart ('77), Kathleen (Bossart) Aasand, Elizabeth (Bossart) Mathison ('85), and the grandmother of Shanley graduates, Paige Mathison ('17) and Olivia Mathison ('22).

Obituary:

Heaven gained another angel with the passing of our sweet mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Brown Bossart, at the age of 87. Betty died peacefully on October 15, 2025, at the Eventide Fargo campus.

Betty was born on November 27, 1937, to Faulkner and Naomi Brown in Fargo, ND. After her father’s passing at a young age, Betty grew up in a home surrounded by a family of strong & independent women: her mother, Naomi; her sister, Deborah (Debbie); her grandmother, Sarah; and her aunt, Agnes. Together they worked hard and made a beautiful life together. Betty attended Shanley High School in Fargo, graduating in 1955. There, she was very involved in activities and proud to be a Shanley High School cheerleader. Following high school, Betty briefly attended NDSU.

Betty and her friends loved “cruising” Broadway, and it was there that she met the love of her life, Marvin Bossart. Marv and Betty were united in marriage at St. Mary’s Cathedral on August 11, 1956, and moved to Chicago shortly after so Marvin could complete his master’s degree at Northwestern University. While in Chicago, they welcomed their first daughter, Sherry. After Marv graduated, they decided to move back to their roots in the Fargo-Moorhead area to start their careers and complete their family by welcoming three more daughters, Laurie, Kathleen, and Elizabeth.

Betty began her first of many careers as a dress shop owner. She and her sister-in-law, Beverly Wurzer, opened “Liz & Bev’s,” which was located in North Fargo in the 60s. She went on to attend Moorhead Technical College and obtained her legal secretary certificate, which led to many successful years at Fargo National Bank in Fargo. Following her time at FNB, she returned to sales at Fireside Office Products, where she sold office furniture & equipment and designed office spaces. She ended her sales career in a job she absolutely loved, selling jewelry at Wimmer’s Diamonds, a place where she met lifelong friends. There, she enjoyed helping many customers find beautiful pieces of jewelry, and she was proud to have learned all about the 4Cs of diamonds. A highlight of her time there was traveling with colleagues to Antwerp, Belgium, to hand-pick diamonds for customers.

In addition to being a committed mother and enjoying her careers, Betty enjoyed gardening and spending her summers at Battle Lake with her family, where she loved spending time with her sister and many other family members all along the beach. Betty’s greatest joy came from the time she spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved attending their activities, and in later years, enjoyed their visits to her home, where her big, beautiful smile always greeted them. Betty also found time to sew beautiful clothing and spend time with many cherished friends. She loved playing Bridge, traveling, and spending EVERY New Year’s Eve with them. Betty LOVED the color cream and enjoyed decorating her home and Christmas tree in cream and gold.

Betty was the kindest mother, wife, sister, and friend, and the source of light and love to all who knew her. We will miss you Mom, and your most beautiful smile.

Her beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of those who love her. Betty is survived by her four daughters: Sherry (Dan) Stoa of Fargo, Laurie Bossart, Avon, Colorado, Kathleen (Charles) Aasand, Sun Lakes, AZ, and Elizabeth (Chris) Mathison, Horace, ND. Betty is blessed with grandchildren, Jessica Stoa, Patrick (Sydney) Stoa, Rachel (Jake) Shipp, Paige Mathison, Olivia Mathison, Michael Mathison, and Lauren Aasand. She also has 10 great-grandchildren: Ava, Briggs, and Drew Van Dyke, Remy, Jaxon and Nori Stoa, and Baylor, Treyvon, Kyleigh, and Jayden Shipp. Betty is also survived by her loving sister Debbie Nelson, Little Falls, MN; her brother-in-law, David Bossart; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Betty is preceded in death by her beloved husband Marv, and her parents, Faulkner and Naomi Brown.

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to all the wonderful caregivers who have helped Betty over the years, especially the caring staff at Eventide Fargo.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Nativity Catholic Church in Fargo, ND, with a visitation from 12:00 pm-2:00 pm, before the mass. Burial: Holy Cross Cemetery South.

Memorial contributions are welcome to: The Marv Bossart Parkinson’s Foundation, c/o Dakota Medical Foundation, the Shanley High School Deacon Builder Scholarship fund, or Ethos Hospice of Fargo.

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