Elizabeth Louise Serzen

Elizabeth “Bette” Serzen (née Hanson), 88, of Phoenix, AZ, and Durango, CO, unexpectedly passed away from natural causes in the early morning hours of May 10th, Mother’s Day, 2026, with her three children at her bedside.

She was born in Northridge, North Dakota, on October 6, 1937, to Herman and Helen Hanson. Bette moved to Chicago at 20 years old, earning her stewardess license for United Airlines, and truly loved working as a flight attendant. A highlight of her short but meaningful career was becoming a regular stewardess for the Green Bay Packers football team. Based out of Chicago, she met newly signed New York Yankees baseball player Russell Serzen on a blind date. They were married on 09/19/1959, and because of strict airline rules, Bette was required to give up her career to marry Russ. They started a family immediately and had three children: Scott, 65, Roger, 63, and Alison, 58. Bette’s greatest joy in life was being a mother and wife, and she excelled at both roles on many levels.

When Russ retired from a successful career in orthopedic implant sales, they moved to Durango, Colorado, full-time and bought a 10-acre dream home on the Animas River. That homestead became a gathering place where their family visited and created cherished memories for many years and multiple generations.

Russ and Bette were married for 43 years, after Russ’s death from a rare brain disease in 2002. With the strength of her North Dakota farm girl roots, she went on to live a fulfilling new chapter of her life without her partner. She traveled the world and continued developing her many hobbies and creative talents further (sewing, jewelry making and silversmithing, calligraphy, artist and singer, just to name a few).

Along with her beloved dog “Cupcake” with the turquoise tail to match Bette’s own funky turquoise hair highlight, she became a dedicated and integral part of her children and grandchildren’s lives. She carried on her and Russ’ love of jazz through the philanthropy work they started in Durango earlier on, including the San Juan Symphony, the annual Jazz On The Hill Festival held in Durango, and support of the music program at Fort Lewis College in Durango. In honor of Russ after his passing, Bette formed the “The Russ Serzen Endowment Fund” to support jazz music students at Fort Lewis College in Durango, organizing regular fundraisers to ensure the endowment would help future musicians.

Known fondly as “Mema” by many in her family, she is survived by her two sons, Scott Thomas and daughter-in-law Betsy, Roger John and daughter-in-law Angie, daughter Alison Marie and son-in-law Gregg, two grandsons, Marshall Russell and Wyatt Clary, four granddaughters, Chelsea Blair, Paige Elizabeth, Sarah Ann, and Isabella Marina, three great-grandsons Norman Roger, Ellis Marshall, and James Christopher and great-granddaughter, Blair Shanni.

Bette was a true matriarch and will be remembered as a wonderful mom, wife, daughter, sister, and aunt. She had a passionate zest for life and was a faithful, generous, thoughtful, spunky, creative, and fun-loving soul who never met a stranger and would never pass up a moment to laugh or enjoy tacos and a sweet treat (especially caramel!). Loved and cherished by so many friends and her family, Bette will be missed dearly.