Elizabeth "Betty" Jean (Fetzer) Lovinus

Elizabeth “Betty” Jean Lovinus (Fetzer), a beloved wife, mother, and dedicated servant of the Church, was born to eternal life on January 21, 2025, in her home, surrounded by her loving family. She was 89 years old.

Her story is one of unwavering faith and limitless love and empathy. Born April 9, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to John and Elisabeth (Bittner) Fetzer, she maintained the sanctuary and sang in the choir at St. Michael's Parish. Her academic journey led her to Messmer High School, from which she graduated in 1952.

Blessed with a healing presence, Betty pursued a passion for nursing, earning her degree from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1956. Around that time, she met Peter P. Lovinus, Jr. on a blind date in St. Louis. They married on March 2, 1957. Wordplay was a fixture in the Lovinus household, and the most fitting was that Betty put the "Love-in-Us" into the family.

Pete and Betty raised six children with Betty working shifts as an operating room nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital. Trained by the Daughters of Charity, she learned to see the face of Jesus in the people in her care. This journey transformed her career into a calling and a way of life. She would recall working in the obstetrics department as a young nurse, performing an emergency baptism for a newborn, as was the practice in those days.

A dynamic energy and intense dedication to her family and vocation were deeply ingrained in her character. A mainstay at Milwaukee Archdiocese parishes, Betty served as a parish nurse at St. Bernadette, Mother of Perpetual Help, Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Therese and St. Francis parishes. Her roles in liturgical ministries and pastoral care were marked by an unquestioning acceptance and spiritual guidance.

As one of the first women to attend Saint Francis Seminary, Betty completed the certificate program in pastoral ministry in 1992. She then transitioned from her vocation as a registered nurse to dedicate herself fully to pastoral ministry. In the mid-1990s, Betty served on Archbishop Weakland's Task Force on Parish Health Ministry, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the future of parish health care. She was a founding member of the Archdiocesan Parish Nurse Advisory Council and frequently presented workshops on conducting parish health ministry throughout the archdiocese. She received the Vatican II Award for Leadership in the Church in 2004.

Betty leaves behind a family that adores her and a community that has been profoundly enriched by her presence. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Peter P. Lovinus, Jr., sister Gertrude "Trudy" Catherine (Fetzer) Lacey, and brother John Michael Fetzer. She was the proud mother of Paul Lovinus, Thomas (Michele Kennedy) Lovinus, Stephen (Lisa Vallone) Lovinus, Suzanne Lovinus, Marie (Geoffrey) Zeidler and James Lovinus. She is further survived by her cherished nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, other relatives, and many friends.

Visitation for Betty will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 10:00 AM until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00 Noon, all at St. Therese Catholic Church, located at 9525 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226. Betty will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Pete, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Betty's name to St. Bakhita Catholic Worker House, 3138 North 2nd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. Her memory will live on through the lives she touched and the love she shared.

Rest in peace, Betty. Your light will continue to shine through the hearts of those who knew and loved you.

To watch a live stream of Betty's service, please go to the St. Therese Church FACEBOOK page at 12:00 Noon on February 8th. 

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