Betty Louise Bamonte

Betty Louise Bamonte (Rodriguez) July 12, 1939 – February 1, 2026 My mom, Betty Louise Bamonte, passed away on February 1, 2026, at the age of 86, in Northfield, Minnesota. She was born on July 12, 1939, in Bayonne, New Jersey, to Elvira Pastora Rodriguez (Martinez) and Manuel Rodriguez, and later had a loving relationship with her stepfather, Rogelio Denis. My mom lived most of her younger life in New York City but spent a few very fond years in upstate New York on a remote farm while her dad was sick. It was a hard life for her family, but also a much simpler one. She used to say that at first it felt scary because it was so vast and open - she could see for miles. There weren't tall buildings surrounding her, keeping her safe and shielded. But that farm became part of her soul. She told me stories about picking wild berries, walking two miles down a gravel road for fresh eggs, living without running water or electricity, and retrieving the milk bottle tied to a rope floating in the well to keep it cool. She worked and laughed endlessly alongside her older brother Joe, her little sister Diane, and their many animals. Her favorites were a goat named Sissy, their workhorses Star Dust and Rainbow, and her cat Smokey. Her father passed away when she was nine, and they returned to New York City. She always said she had the best of both worlds - a part-time country girl, but a city girl at heart. In fact, she didn't learn to drive until she was 39 years old when she moved away from the city… let's just say some things are best learned at an earlier age! My mom shared a deep bond with her siblings - Joe Rodriguez (88), Diana Blackstock (Rodriguez) (deceased), and Roger Denis (67). She was 18 when Roger was born and he even lived with us for a while when he was a teenager. Geraldine Ryan (Martinez) (82), my mom's aunt who was 4.5 years younger, was more like a sibling and they were close her whole life. The biggest, happiest smiles I ever saw on my mom's face were when she was laughing with her siblings or when she was dancing. At 14, my mom auditioned for and attended The School of Performing Arts in Manhattan - the "Fame" school - commuting over an hour each way by bus and subway. She loved the arts and all forms of dance, but flamenco was her passion, honoring her Spanish heritage. She was graceful and fluid, with captivating beauty and stage presence. She will forever be my Dancing Queen! When she was 17, she had the honor of performing a solo flamenco dance for Tony Bennett. Her best friend Loretta - still her best friend to this day - was president of his fan club. Tony noticed my mom carrying a small suitcase and asked what was inside. She told him she was a flamenco dancer studying at the School of Performing Arts. He asked her to perform her favorite dance for him. And she did. Fast forward to 2015. I saw Tony Bennett perform in Denver and brought a photo of him and my mom from that night decades earlier. When I asked him to sign it, he remembered her. He said what a pleasure it had been and that she was a talented and beautiful flamenco dancer. When I brought the signed photo back to my mom, she beamed with the most joyful smile. It was one of those full-circle moments.

She married my dad, Dominic Bamonte, at 21. They spent most of their married years in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before we moved to Palatine, Illinois. A year later, they divorced. My mom raised the three of us - Derek Anthony Bamonte (60), Brett Roger Bamonte (deceased), and me, Tara Rose Bamonte (54) - while working two full-time jobs. We always said she had an incredibly strong work ethic… honestly, she was a workaholic. She started at Fluid Power Systems as an administrative assistant and worked her way up to overseeing production control in the machine shop. To make ends meet, she waitressed at Pepe's Mexican Restaurant alongside my Aunt Diane, who came to live with us for a couple of years. Those were very long days and very late nights, and it was rough for all of us - but she never complained or asked for help. She just kept going. (I think her secret personal stash of chocolates played a part!) After we were grown and out of the house, she went back to school and met the rigorous education and examination process head-on, earning her Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. She believed deeply in education - formal or self-taught - and in always improving yourself. If anyone needed to research something thoroughly, the answer was always, "Ask Gran." She would dig in and learn everything there was to know. In December 1998, she moved to Minnesota to be near my kids, my brother Brett, and me and my husband, Alec Joseph Grebis (deceased). That's when she fully stepped into the role she loved most and became "Gran." My children - Noah Joseph (28), Elijah Anthony (25), Moriah Rose (22), and India Rose (20) - were the absolute center of her world. She helped raise them, encouraged them, and tutored them. She held private "Gran sessions" complete with homework help, deep conversations, and treats - especially her personal favorite, chocolate ice cream! She always said the kids kept her sharp, moving, and young. When Alec passed away, my mom - along with my in-laws, Barbara Bofenkamp and Charlie Black - stepped in and surrounded my kids with love, strength, and stability. She will always be a pillar in our lives!

In 2006, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and given six weeks to live. Six weeks. But she defied every odd. I will never forget the surgeon shaking his head and saying, "I don't know how to explain it other than your mom got a miracle." And she did. My mom was endlessly curious about the world. She valued travel and encouraged it, especially for my kids. She believed seeing the world and experiencing diverse cultures was essential. She loved nature and animals and was mindful of the environment - from global issues to small daily choices. She was health conscious for as long as I can remember. She ate well - even though she was a horrible cook (we have many memories of smoke billowing from the kitchen and the smoke detectors blaring!). She walked daily - even if it meant walking figure eights in the living room for an hour. We called her the Energizer Bunny because she always had enough energy to run circles around the rest of us. Gran was selfless. She put others first and often went without. She didn't have a materialistic bone in her body. She was an advocate for human rights for everyone - especially the underdog - and stood firmly for justice, equality, and civil rights. She loved politics and followed it closely. She was a regular political blogger for The New York Times and was proud when high-level leaders engaged with her well articulated and passionate posts - especially Robert Reich, who followed her and often engaged with her writings. We will forever hear her saying, "Make sure you end up on the right side of history." She was strong in character, mind, and body. Brilliant, stubborn, loving, opinionated, curious, and deeply principled. Although she sometimes struggled to show it, she loved fiercely. She danced beautifully. She worked endlessly. She believed in people. And to me - she was my mom. My Gran. My always there.

Celebration of Life We - will be gathering for an informal Celebration of Gran at my home on: Saturday, March 7, 2026 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 2203 Grant Court Northfield, MN 55057 Please come as you are. Bring your stories and your laughter. No Flowers Please.

DESIDERATA (Poem Found in Old St. Paul's Church 1682) Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.