Elizabeth (Bette) Wilhelmina Hebbe Morgan of Sparta passed away Monday, March 12, 2018.

Bette was born April 14, 1927 to Richard and Emma (Wegner) Hebbe.  She was united in marriage with Calvin (Cally) Morgan on May 18th of 1946.  They spent their lives on their dairy farm in Big Creek. They were members in the Big Creek Methodist Church until it closed its doors. Bette was active in the Methodist Women’s group and worked hard to support her church, including serving at the ice cream socials that were held every summer for many years.

Bette grew up on the Hebbe farm at the bottom of Putman’s Ridge.  She spoke only German until she began first grade at West Beaver Creek School. Bette taught herself to play the button box accordion at the age of five.  She learned her first songs by listening to Gene Autry and Roy Rogers on the radio and then playing their songs by ear. She could listen to a song once or twice and then play it. When she was just a little girl she would play for dances at neighboring house parties. Bette went on to attend St. Francis School of Nursing in La Crosse for one year after graduating from Sparta High School. She then married Cally and moved to the Morgan farm in Big Creek where they worked together and raised their four children.

Bette loved many things in life, but first and foremost was her family. She adored her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and they adored her.  She loved family get-togethers with home cooked meals where she could see everyone gathered around the dining room table.  She loved to entertain folks with her amazing musical talents and delighted generations of children with her button box music. It was a special treat when she played the button box and harmonica simultaneously.  After she and Cally retired, Bette taught him to play the button box, and they became a two person band.  For six years they played monthly for the residents of Rolling Hills and performed at local events.  Bette also loved to garden and until she was confined to her wheelchair, spent many happy hours planning her garden, monitoring the growth, and preserving the harvest.

Bette is survived by many people who loved her very much: her children Beverly (Sam) Torbert of Mims, Florida, Mary Schmidt and Clay Morgan (special friend Barb) and Sandy (Mark) Giraud of Sparta; grandchildren Carrie (Jon) Miller and Chris Torbert,  Matt (Kari), Ben, and Mark Schmidt, Tiffany (Steve) Krambeer and Felicia Songer, and Rachelle Bardeen (partner Louis Hernandez IV)  and Beth (Mitch) Smith.  She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren, Lexy, Hailey, and Adam Baumer, Isabella Bardeen, Hunter, Easton, and Tucker Smith, and Shelby Songer. The family of Gary and Sue Corbisier of La Crosse and their children Sarah, (Oyvind) and children Albert and Eleanor of Norway and Aaron, La Crosse, were a “second” family to her and provided tremendous support and comfort.

Bette was preceded in death by her husband Cally, her parents and one brother Carl Hebbe.

There will be a Celebration of Life in honor of Bette later this summer.  A notification will be published when the date has been selected.