Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Drake, age 75 of Odanah, passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, at Essentia Health-Miller Dwan Medical Center in Duluth, Minn., with her family at her side. She was born Elizabeth Ann Wiggins on July 21, 1940, in Ashland, the last surviving child of Agnes Stone Wiggins and Samuel Wiggins, Sr. of Odanah.
Betty attended Saint Mary School in Odanah and later attended Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill. She studied business and nursing at WITC in Ashland and business at the University School of Business in Madison. She managed and owned multiple businesses through her lifetime including a cleaning business in Illinois, started and owned Bear Trap Trading Post in Ashland and Tender Elder Care of Ashland.
As a Bad River member, she was elected by write-in and was the first woman tribal Chairman for Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians 1993. She was an original charter member of Bad River American Legion Post 25 Ladies Auxiliary (treasurer for two years, 2002). She held positions as treasurer for the Elders Pow-Wow Committee for two years, secretary for the Bad River Aging Program, a member of Bad River Elder Advisory Committee and WITC Alumni Association.
She enjoyed creating and donating star quilts to Bad River graduates. She also made many handmade quilts, baked goods and donated time to other various philanthropic organizations for fundraising. She supplied fabric, beads and dry goods to local artisans. She looked forward to spending time with friends and loved to travel.
She was preceded in death by her parents; former husbands, William G. Nelis, Jr. and Donald M. Bates; and siblings, Phylis Lemieux, Irvin Wiggins, Jack Wiggins, Franklin Wiggins, Samuel Wiggins, Jr., David Wiggins, Robert Wiggins, Sr., William Wiggins and Ilene Wiggins Dzwonkowski (John); her son, Samuel Francis Nelis; daughter, Roxanne Bates Lebo (Ronald); and grandson, Parker Bates.
Interment Bad River Cemetery in Odanah.
Betty attended Saint Mary School in Odanah and later attended Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill. She studied business and nursing at WITC in Ashland and business at the University School of Business in Madison. She managed and owned multiple businesses through her lifetime including a cleaning business in Illinois, started and owned Bear Trap Trading Post in Ashland and Tender Elder Care of Ashland.
As a Bad River member, she was elected by write-in and was the first woman tribal Chairman for Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians 1993. She was an original charter member of Bad River American Legion Post 25 Ladies Auxiliary (treasurer for two years, 2002). She held positions as treasurer for the Elders Pow-Wow Committee for two years, secretary for the Bad River Aging Program, a member of Bad River Elder Advisory Committee and WITC Alumni Association.
She enjoyed creating and donating star quilts to Bad River graduates. She also made many handmade quilts, baked goods and donated time to other various philanthropic organizations for fundraising. She supplied fabric, beads and dry goods to local artisans. She looked forward to spending time with friends and loved to travel.
She was preceded in death by her parents; former husbands, William G. Nelis, Jr. and Donald M. Bates; and siblings, Phylis Lemieux, Irvin Wiggins, Jack Wiggins, Franklin Wiggins, Samuel Wiggins, Jr., David Wiggins, Robert Wiggins, Sr., William Wiggins and Ilene Wiggins Dzwonkowski (John); her son, Samuel Francis Nelis; daughter, Roxanne Bates Lebo (Ronald); and grandson, Parker Bates.
Interment Bad River Cemetery in Odanah.
Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Drake, age 75 of Odanah, passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, at Essentia Health-Miller Dwan Medical Center in Duluth, Minn., with her family at her side. She was born Elizabeth Ann Wiggins on July 21, 1940, in Ashland, the last surviving child of Agnes Stone Wiggins and Samuel Wiggins, Sr. of Odanah.
Betty attended Saint Mary School in Odanah and later attended Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill. She studied business and nursing at WITC in Ashland and business at the University School of Business in Madison. She managed and owned multiple businesses through her lifetime including a cleaning business in Illinois, started and owned Bear Trap Trading Post in Ashland and Tender Elder Care of Ashland.
As a Bad River member, she was elected by write-in and was the first woman tribal Chairman for Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians 1993. She was an original charter member of Bad River American Legion Post 25 Ladies Auxiliary (treasurer for two years, 2002). She held positions as treasurer for the Elders Pow-Wow Committee for two years, secretary for the Bad River Aging Program, a member of Bad River Elder Advisory Committee and WITC Alumni Association.
She enjoyed creating and donating star quilts to Bad River graduates. She also made many handmade quilts, baked goods and donated time to other various philanthropic organizations for fundraising. She supplied fabric, beads and dry goods to local artisans. She looked forward to spending time with friends and loved to travel.
She was preceded in death by her parents; former husbands, William G. Nelis, Jr. and Donald M. Bates; and siblings, Phylis Lemieux, Irvin Wiggins, Jack Wiggins, Franklin Wiggins, Samuel Wiggins, Jr., David Wiggins, Robert Wiggins, Sr., William Wiggins and Ilene Wiggins Dzwonkowski (John); her son, Samuel Francis Nelis; daughter, Roxanne Bates Lebo (Ronald); and grandson, Parker Bates.
Interment Bad River Cemetery in Odanah.
Betty attended Saint Mary School in Odanah and later attended Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill. She studied business and nursing at WITC in Ashland and business at the University School of Business in Madison. She managed and owned multiple businesses through her lifetime including a cleaning business in Illinois, started and owned Bear Trap Trading Post in Ashland and Tender Elder Care of Ashland.
As a Bad River member, she was elected by write-in and was the first woman tribal Chairman for Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians 1993. She was an original charter member of Bad River American Legion Post 25 Ladies Auxiliary (treasurer for two years, 2002). She held positions as treasurer for the Elders Pow-Wow Committee for two years, secretary for the Bad River Aging Program, a member of Bad River Elder Advisory Committee and WITC Alumni Association.
She enjoyed creating and donating star quilts to Bad River graduates. She also made many handmade quilts, baked goods and donated time to other various philanthropic organizations for fundraising. She supplied fabric, beads and dry goods to local artisans. She looked forward to spending time with friends and loved to travel.
She was preceded in death by her parents; former husbands, William G. Nelis, Jr. and Donald M. Bates; and siblings, Phylis Lemieux, Irvin Wiggins, Jack Wiggins, Franklin Wiggins, Samuel Wiggins, Jr., David Wiggins, Robert Wiggins, Sr., William Wiggins and Ilene Wiggins Dzwonkowski (John); her son, Samuel Francis Nelis; daughter, Roxanne Bates Lebo (Ronald); and grandson, Parker Bates.
Interment Bad River Cemetery in Odanah.
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