Obituary of Betty Kidder

Betty (Freed) Kidder, former resident of Hopkins, Minnesota, and current resident of Baxter, Minnesota, passed away on March 15, 2016, at Northern Lakes Senior Living in Baxter. Betty was born on May 30, 1929, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, to Theodore and Abbie Freed. She graduated from Tech High School, earned an elementary education degree from St. Cloud Teachers College, and taught elementary education in the Sauk Rapids and Hopkins school districts. Betty and Patrick Kidder met at Teachers College, and were married in 1950. Betty will be remembered as an exceptionally loving mother, wife, and grandmother, whose warmth touched family and their many friends alike. Betty, Pat, and children Bari, Kelly, and Todd spent summers at their cabin on Lake Alexander in Morrison County, near Camp Ripley where husband Pat was a member of the officer corps during summer field training months. Flower gardening, her much-loved birch trees, and love for cabin life in this beautiful setting were among her greatest joys. Betty’s “Hopkins life” was equally devoted to her family and friends, and she made the creation of a loving and welcoming home her art. In later years Betty was also a dedicated volunteer at nearby Chapel View care center. She was an avid fan of high school and college basketball and football, sports in which her sons’ participation enriched many of Betty and Pat’s Friday nights. Family was the most important element in her life, a value she lived daily as an example to her children and others. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Patrick Kidder, brother Theodore Freed and son Kelly Kidder of Hudson, Wisconsin. She is survived by daughter Bari Rahn (Mike) of Brainerd, Minnesota, son Todd Kidder (Jamie) of New Richmond, Wisconsin, daughter-in-law K.C. Kidder (Kelly) of Medina, Minnesota, sister Ann Quinlivan (Richard) of St. Cloud, Minnesota, and grandchildren Meghan Rahn , Alex Rahn, Keegan Kidder, Korey Kidder, Kaitlyn Kidder, Jared Kidder, Mattie Kidder and Joe Kidder. A Memorial service will be held on April 1 at 3 P.M. at Mizpah United Church of Christ, 412 5th Avenue North, Hopkins. Memorials may be directed to Nature Conservancy Minnesota, 1101 West River Parkway, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1291. “Among the best things we can give each other are good memories.” ---Henri Nouwen