5th grade teacher, a mom of two, dies after bee stings her, Wisconsin family says

A “beloved” 5th grade teacher and a mother of two collapsed after being stung by a bee, then died at a Wisconsin hospital, her family said.

Mindy Ramberg, who taught social studies at St. Croix Central Middle School, in Hammond, was stung on her lip by a bee Saturday, Sept. 13, sister Tina Karsten said in a post on CaringBridge.org.

“She had an allergic reaction within minutes and lost consciousness,” the post said. Ramberg was taken to a hospital by ambulance, then later flown to another facility in Duluth.

But three days later, on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 16, Ramberg died with “her family by her side,” Karsten wrote.

“She will be loved forever and missed for always,” she added. “We are heartbroken by this loss — Mindy’s presence touched so many lives in meaningful and lasting ways.”

In addition to teaching, Ramberg was also a coach, Bringmethenews.com reported.

The St. Croix Central Cross Country team honored Ramberg at a recent competition, writing “Run4Ramberg” on their legs before winning first place, a Sept. 16 Facebook post shows.

“The St. Croix Central community is devastated by the passing of 5th Grade Teacher Mindy Ramberg. Her infectious smile, and loving spirit brightened everyone’s world who was lucky enough to spend time with her,” Superintendent Tim Widiker told McClatchy News in an email.

“Her empathy, care, and compassion she showed for everyone, will forever be remembered. In a profession of difference-makers, she stood out,” he wrote.

Less than one percent of the U.S. population is allergic to bees, but in “severe cases,” an allergic individual can go into anaphylactic shock when stung, and should be treated with a shot of epinephrine, according to experts.

Among those who are allergic, adults are generally considered at higher risk of a potentially life-threatening reaction, because the allergy intensifies the more times the person has been stung throughout their life.

Hammond is a 240-mile drive west from Green Bay.

This story was originally published September 17, 2025 at 2:41 PM with the headline "5th grade teacher, a mom of two, dies after bee stings her, Wisconsin family says."