Isabel "Bel" Aschbrenner

Isabel Rose “Bel” Aschbrenner (née Nowacki) age 91, died peacefully on Thursday, September 25, 2025 after a brief stay at The Villa Benedictine Living Community in Red Wing, MN. Bel was born on April 11, 1934 in Athens, WI to Joseph and Hattie Nowacki. Growing up on a beautiful farm, Bel enjoyed gardening, pickling and canning, piano lessons, learning to fish from her dad and cooking and baking from her mom. She attended school in Athens and graduated from Athens High School in 1951. After graduation, she moved to Wausau, WI and it was there that she met the love of her life, Donald Otto Aschbrenner. Don and Bell were married in a beautiful ceremony at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Athens, WI.

During their 52 years of marriage, Bel and Don moved several times with Don’s military service and career and lived in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. They welcomed their first daughter, Sheryl in Traverse City, MI, their middle daughter, Karyl, in Wausau, WI and their youngest, Rebecca, born in South St. Paul, MN. The family enjoyed RV trips throughout the United States, stopping along the way to visit state parks and enjoy beautiful scenery. They also loved their AFS foreign exchange students, Louisa Simeoni from Argentina and Maria Elena Lavorato from Brazil. The relationships they built with their international daughters remain special and important to this day.

Bel worked in Wausau at a piano dealership where she saved enough to buy her own piano. While raising her family, she was active in Hospital Auxiliary in St. Paul, and became an avid volunteer for hospitals and nursing facilities throughout her life. She loved playing bridge and played in several groups. In Detroit Lakes, at the age of 47, Bel attended and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Valedictorian of her graduating class at Minnesota State Community and Technical College with a LPN Practical Nursing degree. She worked as a nurse for several years and truly enjoyed caring for people.

Don and Bel loved the lake life and enjoyed many summers at their various “cabins” on Lake Shetek, Long Lake, Ottertail Lake, Cotton Lake, Lake La Homme Dieu and Lake Carlos. Bel loved swimming, fishing, boating, skiing and enjoying evening sunsets. They also loved their Florida winter homes and Bel enjoyed golfing and tennis well into her 70’s.

Their girls, Sheryl, Karyl, and Rebecca loved their mom very much. She taught them the art of entertaining and cooking, her love of music, musicals and piano, reading, playing games and her love of anything nature - flowers, plants, trees, and her birds.

Her grandchildren, Chelsea, Sam (Paige), Cole (Molly), Zachary (Julia), and Channing all loved her dearly and learned so many things about the outdoors as she took them on long walks in the woods. She passed on her love of animals from dogs and cats to bringing home baby squirrels and baby ducks. Two of her daughters entered into blended family situations and Bel welcomed her new grandchildren Jeff (Jody), Ryan (Anne), Will (Brittany) with open arms. All of her grandchildren loved to take her on in tennis, golf, dice games, marbles, and hand and foot where her competitive and sometimes creative ways of winning still makes them laugh!

Her “Great Littles” had her heart and always made her smile. Connor, Victoria, Crosby, Nolan, Theron, Warren, Benji, Perri, Charlotte and Liam all loved their Great Grandma Bel. She’ll be smiling down from Heaven as she watches them grow.

Bel was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, her brothers Normie Nowacki, Edward Nowacki and Harvey Nowacki, her sisters Joan Held, Florence Nowacki and Hattie Nowacki and is survived by her daughters Sheryl Aschbrenner, Karyl Anderson and Rebecca Marsh, her grandchildren Chelsea Duffy, Sam Caswell, Cole Caswell, Zachary Marsh, Channing Marsh, Jeff Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Will Marsh, Brittany Marsh and her great-grandchildren, Connor Anderson, Crosby Anderson, Victoria Anderson, Nolan Duffy, Theron Duffy, Warren Duffy, Benji Benitez, Perri Anderson, Liam Marsh and Charlotte Caswell.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Benedictine Living Community in Red Wing is appreciated.  Arrangements by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel in Red Wing.