Elizabeth "Bets" (Lehmann) Hudella

Elizabeth A. "Bets" (Lehmann) Hudella, passed away peacefully at home in Hastings on her eighty-sixth birthday, July 1, 2025.

Elizabeth Anne Hudella (née Lehmann) was born July 1st, 1939, in Saint Paul, MN and died July 1st, 2025, on her 86th birthday in Hastings, MN where she had resided for 57 years.

Elizabeth, known as “Bets” to most of her friends and extended family, grew up in South Saint Paul, assisting first in her grandmother’s neighborhood grocery store, Lehmann’s Supermarket, and later in her parent’s business ventures the Ponderosa Motel and Café, aka “the Koffee Kup Kafé.” She met the love of her life, Richard F. Hudella, while working for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in St. Paul, and they were married April 24th, 1961. Together they had 5 children in addition Richard’s (Dick’s) 4 children from a previous marriage. While Dick worked his way up in law enforcement in Dakota County, Bets worked her way up locally in medical records, starting as an Emergency Room Clerk at Regina Hospital, and then for 23 years in medical records at Haven Homes Nursing Home (Hastings), where she became Medical Records Director. When that enterprise changed hands, she went to work for Allina Health. As a mom, Bets masterfully juggled her family’s needs while working full time and enjoying camping weekends on the North Shore.

Bets was known for her kind and generous nature, her great sense of humor, grace and practicality. While she was exceedingly generous with family and charitable causes, she was frugal with her own needs, often stating, “I don’t need anything!” When asked what she might like for a birthday or holiday gift.

Preceding Bets in death was her beloved husband, Richard F. “Dick” Hudella; her parents, Andrew & Gertrude Lehmann; and her brothers, Robert, Richard, and Andrew Jr.

She will be sadly missed by her family, including her children, Shawn MacGregor, Sherry Larson (Jim Osowski), Stacy Huberty (Patrick Green), Shane Hudella (Jessica), and Sloane Weston (Trevor); as well as her stepchildren, Deborah Hudella Anderson, Deanna Hudella, Richard “Rick” Hudella, Dawn Hudella, and their families; numerous grandchildren, Niall MacGregor (Claire Clancy), Colin MacGregor, Elizabeth MacGregor (Dan Arends), Andrew Larson (Molly), Samantha Angerman (Kurt), Michaela Larson, Katie Huberty, Cory Huberty (Laura), Anna Endres (Kurt), Sam Huberty (Rahne), Patton Hudella (Julia), Joey Hudella (Bree), Zachary Hudella (Genelle), Cooper Hudella, and Sunny Weston; in addition are many step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren – too many to list. Special mention to Bets’ niece, Lisa Crawford, and good friend, Dorothy Borst.

Thank you to all the family, friends, and helpers that brought love, care, and support to Bets in her final months, including St. Croix Hospice and the Starkson Family Funeral Home of Hastings.

A Celebration of Bets' Life will be held from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Friday, July 11, 2025, at Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel of Hastings. Private family interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

For guestbook and further information, please visit www.starksonfamily.com.

Arrangements are being completed by Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel of Hastings.