Date of Birth:
Thursday, December 28, 1950
Date of Death:
Friday, January 16, 2026
Age:
75 years old

Beth A. Kaping

We lost our favorite mom in the early morning hours of Friday January 16 she was surrounded by her favorite people.

Beth was born December 28, 1950. She was born and raised in New Ulm, Minnesota. Her parents were Henry and Bonnie Kaping. She lost her beloved mom in 1975. Later she gained a bonus mom Marilyn. She was her dad’s little princess he always made sure she had the nicest clothes and he took her everywhere with him.

When she was 11 she met her lifelong best friend and partner in crime Patty Ann. They shared 64 years of friendship, laughs, memories and shenanigans. One of those shenanigans involved her dad’s mustang. Her and Patty would take the mustang out driving and unplug the odometer so the miles couldn’t be counted. Her dad was quite frustrated that the mustang got great gas mileage but the tires were horrible as they didn’t have many miles on them but needed replacing.

At 16 her little sister Dawn was born. She helped watch Dawn and allowed her to tag along with her. Even though they were years apart they had a close relationship spending lots of time together.

She attended nursing school at St Barnabas in Minneapolis; Earning all straight A’s in her courses. She was a Registered Nurse in many hospitals over the years including Lake City Municipal Hospital, Sioux Valley Hospital in New Ulm, St Mary’s and Methodist Hospitals in Rochester. She spent most of her career as an orthopedic nurse finishing her career as a cardiovascular research study coordinator.

Mom devoted her life to caring for those she loved. She was a huge advocate for us. She would be the first to question a doctor, demand a second opinion or sit through appointments asking all the questions. She literally saved many of our lives with her medical knowledge and willingness to stand up for proper treatment. She was always our first call when we were sick or hurt and knew just what to do to make us feel better.

Mom always enjoyed helping others and making a difference in her community. When us kids were younger she was our Girl Scout and Boy Scout leader which is kinda funny as she despised craft projects and both those titles involved some of those activities. After retirement she volunteered with the Elder Network, Dorothy Day House, her townhome association, and Paws and Claws Humane Society to name a few.

She loved to travel. She saw and experienced so many amazing places. Whale watching in Alaska, snorkeling in Hawaii, motorcycle trip through the Rocky Mountains, dipping her feet in the mighty Mississippi headwaters, petting monkeys in Argentina, listening to the waves of Lake Superior, swimming with dolphins in the Florida Keys, enjoying the reds of the badlands in South Dakota, Ground Zero in New York, Pacific Coast, the natural beauty and ever changing landscapes of the many National Parks she visited and so many more.

She loved to cook for us. That was her love language. She loved having family over for meals and making their favorite dishes. Each of her recipes has notes of things that she has changed over the years to improve the dish. There was once a meal she made 3 different meatloaves as we each liked a different one. During the holidays she loved baking cookies. Each year the number of different kinds seemed to always increase.

She loved theater and wouldn’t miss an opportunity to see a play whether it was a local school performance or a huge Broadway show with friends and family.

Mom, we love you and miss you more than words can express. Your Favorite kids Bridget and Matt, Craig, Alex, Dylan and Lauren, and Cole.

In mom’s memory visit a National Park, bake a batch of cookies, go to a play or simply spend extra time with your family.

A celebration to honor Beth is pending, at a later date.