Elizabeth “Betty” (Gabriel) Cashin, 90, of Albert Lea, Minnesota,  died on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, at St John’s Lutheran Home in Albert Lea.

Betty was born Nov. 10, 1929, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Edward and Madeline (Gerke) Gabriel. Her mother died in childbirth and her father remarried two years later to Lucile (Brache). Betty remained the only child in the family.

Betty’s father was a Railway Postal Clerk and therefore, the family moved often.  Betty attended grade school in St. Paul and LaCrosse, Wisconsin. She attended high school in Winona, Minnesota and then moved to Austin, Minnesota, where she graduated in 1947.

Betty entered nurses training in Rochester, Minnesota and after two years returned home to Austin and worked as a secretary in the Hormel Corporate Office. Betty was married to Don Cashin on Nov. 11, 1950 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Austin.

Their lives revolved around a growing family and Don’s career in banking. They were transferred from Austin to Albert Lea for Don’s banking position in 1953, and in 1981 transferred to Luverne, Minnesota, where Don took on the position of president of the bank.  Betty was president of the Mrs. Jaycees and President of the Naeve Hospital Auxiliary while in Albert Lea.

Betty loved to entertain, she enjoyed cooking, playing the piano, reading and particularly, she loved to knit.  She especially enjoyed  being home and being involved with their large family.

After Don was transferred to Luverne, Betty began knitters group and the four friends enjoyed knitting projects, dinners and traveling together, books and golf. Betty worked as a teacher’s aide at the school, volunteered at the church and she and Don enjoyed hiking and cross-country skiing.

Betty and Don enjoyed traveling-there were several trips to San Francisco, California, to visit their youngest son’s family. There were vacation trips to Hawaii, the major one being to celebrate their 40th anniversary with their seven children and their spouses.  Another outing was a mother and daughter trip (with another mother and daughter) for a week in Italy. As a couple Don and Betty made several trips to Arizona to shorten the winters.  They had four wonderful trips to Ireland.

Survivors include her husband Don Cashin of 69 years; two sons, Tim (Holly) Cashin of Tonka Bay, Minnesota and Tom Cashin of San Francisco; daughters, Kathy Cashin of New Hope, Minnesota, Mary (Ken) Sutherland of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Nancy (Rol) Hoium of Albert Lea, Peggy (Roger) DeWild of Austin and Maureen (John Storm)  Cashin of Hackensack, Minnesota. Also surviving are 16 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Betty was preceded in death by her father, her mother, her stepmother and two grandsons, Timmy Cashin and Spencer DeWild.

Memorial services for Betty will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020 at St. Theodore Catholic Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. Timothy Reker will officiate. Interment will be in St. Theodore’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Friday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea, and one hour before the service at the church.