Elizabeth Bodine

Who was Elizabeth Bodine?

Elizabeth Bodine was an American humanitarian who was given the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award in July 1979 in recognition of the International Year of the Child. She was honored as Mother of the Year for both the state of North Dakota, and the entire country, in 1968.

Born in the Province of Posen, she spoke German as her first language. Bodine spent many years volunteering to assist the Native American population in the Belcourt-area. Bodine contributed clothing and food to her relatives in Poland during World War II and sent boxes of clothing to Vietnam. Bodine was the mother of 18 children, each of whom received a post-high school education. Her ten sons received college degrees, and six of her daughters attended college while the other two daughters received business training. For 26 years, including ten summer sessions, one or more of her family was enrolled at Minot State College.