Beth Wojahn Wright passed away peacefully on June 2, 2023, in Ogden, Utah, after a valiant battle with kidney disease as she awaited the completion of the new home she and her new husband, Steven Wright, were building in Layton, Utah.
Beth was born on January 24, 1957, to Carl John and Esther Christina (Dixen) Wojahn. Beth and Steve married on February 21, 2023, and fully enjoyed the last few years they were able to share together.
Beth was born in Savage, Minnesota, and moved with her military family to Georgia, Michigan, and California before returning to her home state in 1972. Beth was adored by her husband Steve, brother Eric, numerous friends and family, and especially, of late, a brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law, along with Steve’s daughter, Kenzie.
Beth graduated from Sleepy Eye Public School in 1975 and attended Southwest State College in Marshall, Minnesota, before transferring to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. After college, Beth was employed in the human resources department at Conserv. However, she spent most of her working years at Western Petroleum, followed by employment at AXXIS Petroleum Software in Saint Paul, up until her recent retirement.
Beth was forever involved in living and in life itself. She enjoyed doing any activity so long as she could spend time with Steve and her many dear friends and family. For instance, she and Steve enjoyed dining out, traveling, and checking out local sites wherever they found themselves. In the summer, they especially enjoyed visiting the “fruit way,” a series of family-owned fruit and vegetable stands north of Layton, Utah.
Over the years, Beth was involved in a range of activities, such as volunteering as an usher at the Old Log Theater in Excelsior or taking part in the Victory League bowling team in south Minneapolis. A longtime member of the organization Women of Today, Beth held many positions, including president of the organization’s Eden Prairie chapter. For a time, she was also a member of the Eden Prairie Lioness organization.
Yet it was quite a challenge to maintain such activities while taking part in her many other interests. Beth adored movies, Italian food (especially at Ciatti’s Italian Restaurant), and productions at the Guthrie Theater and the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. She also loved music, including singing and attending live music events. Beth spent many hours being entertained — and entertaining — while playing cards and board games as well as completing puzzles with her many aunts, uncles, and cousins. With friends and family alike, Beth was always up for eating out, going out, and seeking out fun adventures. But one of Beth’s favorite joys was being called “Grandma Beth,” a new role that she completely cherished.
Even though Beth was solo most of her adult life, she always said she never felt alone because of her network of steadfast friends. With these friends, she kept herself so busy that one person said they had to schedule well in advance to get on her calendar for lunch, dinner, or other outings. Indeed, she was known as a celebrity among friends, mainly because she made everyone feel she was their best friend by showing so very much interest in others, their lives, and their well-being, even when she herself was struggling. For these reasons and more, she was known for being kind, thoughtful, sweet, faithful, loving, helpful, and joyful.
Things that people say will make them think of Beth include peanut M&M’s, Christmas songs, cheesy potatoes, wine, walleye fish fries, anything Danish, and even gin and tonics, which one person in jest said might also be mentioned as a hobby. Her friends and family were delighted that she found her Mr. Right in her husband, Steve Wright, who said she was “an incredibly easy person to fall in love with.”
Survivors include her husband, Steven L. Wright; brother, Eric Wojahn, of Boonville, New York; Wojahn aunts and uncles in Minnesota and Arizona; and many cousins on both the Wojahn and Dixen sides, spread throughout the U.S. And, of course, her fur babies, Pokie and Al. At the risk of leaving some out, we mention her special friends: LeAnne and Kim Kruger, Carole Jore, and Joanne Wawra of FLOW, Carol Baltzer and Sharon Peterson. Others include David and Judi Groom, as well as David and Fay Clark. Beth was preceded in death by her parents, Carl John and Esther Christina (Dixen) Wojahn.
A Celebration of Life for Beth will be held on July 30, 2023, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 16515 Luther Way, Eden Prairie, MN 55346. Visitation will be at noon, with a service at 1 p.m. A simple graveside service will be held at Warren Cemetery in Utah, the state to which Beth had recently moved.
Cameron J. Haugen, age 69 of New Ulm died on Monday, August 7, 2023, the New Ulm Medical Center in New Ulm.
