Elizabeth (Beaudette) Smith

Munising

Elizabeth “Betty” (Beaudette) Smith, age 95, of Munising and formerly of Capac, MI, died Thursday, June 1, 2017 at Munising Memorial Hospital following a brief illness.  She was born on March 24, 1922 in Munising, Michigan to the late Charles and Mary (Tyner) Beaudette.  Betty graduated from Sacred Heart School, and then from William G. Mather High School in 1940.  In her younger years, Betty enjoyed downhill skiing on her wooden skis, and could ice skate with the Ice Follies.  She worked for a couple of years at the Munising Paper Mill in the finishing room.  While on a hunting trip in the U.P., Charles Smith asked the bartender at Leach’s Bar “Who is the best dancer in here?”  “Betty Beaudette” he replied.  And the rest was history.  Betty and Charlie were married on July 3, 1943 in Ann Arbor, MI and they danced together for over sixty-five years until he preceded her in death in 2008.  Together they raised their three girls on the Smith family farm.  Betty worked in a factory during WWII as a Rosie the Riveter and later in life in a safety belt factory, but was always a full time mother and homemaker.  She and Chuck would dance whenever they could, traveling all over to find a dance, and enjoyed their time in a square dancing club.  They also enjoyed snowmobiling.  As they got older, the snowmobile trips turned to winters in Florida, and they never missed a 4th of July in Munising.  Betty enjoyed competing in bowling league, was a member of the Capac Ladies Sewing Club, and served as a 4-H leader and Girl Scout aid. She was also a member St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Capac.  After Charlie passed, Betty traveled and spent time living with her daughters, until her health issues brought her back home to Munising.

Betty is survived by her three daughters – Connie (Rick) Edger of St. Simons Island, GA, Donna Lasak of Christmas, and Bonnie Wilke of Sylvania, OH; nine grandchildren – Gina (Todd) Wieser, Beau (Cheryl) Edger, Ben (Laura) Edger, Robynne (Ted) Woodaz, Rita (Dean) Seaberg, Joseph (Nicole) Lasak, Meredith (Tom) Blaine, Gillian Wilke and Ethan (Yoshimi) Wilke; fourteen great-grandchildren – Ashley, Drew, Jack, Nick, Simon, Mary (Eric), Abby, Wyatt, Luke, Jackson, Hadley, Jacob, Caleb, and Caitlin; and two great-great-grandchildren – Eli and Grace; sister – Helen Anderson; and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Mary; husband Chuck, infant brother Charles, sisters – Doris (Frank) Matekel and Tui Beaudette; brother-in-law – Alard Anderson; and son-in-law Jerry Lasak.

A memorial mass will be celebrated by Fr. Chris Gardiner on Friday, July 7, 2017 at 12:10 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Munising, MI.

Interment will be at the West Berlin Township Cemetery in Allenton, MI on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.  A fellowship gathering will follow the committal service .