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April 8, 1929-June 14, 2024

 

Betty Ellen DePoy, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away peacefully on June 14 surrounded by her children at the age of 95. A lifetime resident of Niles, Michigan, Betty was born on April 8, 1929, in Pawating Hospital to the late Ray Samuel and May Alma (Burge) McBride. On April 25, 1953 she married the late Max Edwin DePoy at Christ the King Catholic Church in Roseland. Together they celebrated over 50 years of marriage before his passing.
She was a 1946 graduate of “the old” Central High School in Niles and also attended Western Michigan University.
Betty’s life was a testament to the power of kindness and commitment to family and faith. As a founding member of St. Mark Catholic Church, Betty’s service went far beyond the scope of her teaching CCD for over a decade. Her unwavering faith guided her through many roles within the church, where she served on various committees. Music was a constant in Betty’s life. She taught dance, played piano and later in life she taught line dancing at the Niles Senior Center to “all the old, white-haired ladies.”
An avid golfer, Betty enjoyed many years of playing golf and following golf — but her true joy came from her family. Betty fiercely loved her children, Christopher DePoy of Phoenix, Arizona, Thomas (Shelly) DePoy of Phoenix, Arizona, Marsie (Rick) Smith of Tucson, AZ, Danette (Barry) Amberg of Niles, Tamara (James) Lewellen of Niles, and infant son, Geoffrey E. DePoy. Her legacy flourishes through her seventeen (17) grandchildren and twenty (20) great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom held a special place in her heart. The De Poy home was a special gathering place for both family and friends; the epicenter of love, joy and laughter, creating life-long memories for all who visited.
Betty’s journey was marked by her loving nature, her incredible capacity to be faith-filled in every circumstance, and her inherent kindness, which resonated with each person she met. She leaves behind an immense void in the hearts of her loved ones. Betty is preceded in death by her loving sisters Margaret McBride and Patricia Clark.
Her family reflects on her life with pride and deep affection, remembering a woman who always put others before herself. A famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson captures the essence of Betty’s life, “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children… to leave the world a better place… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” Betty embodied this philosophy every day, succeeding in enriching the lives of those around her.
Betty’s story is one of enduring love and faith. The impact of her life’s work, centered around the pillars of the church and the heart of her family, will be felt for countless years to come.
Those wishing to make a memorial donation in honor of her have been asked to direct them to St. Mark Memorial Fund, 3 N. 19th Street, Niles, MI 49120.
Photos, condolences, and memories can be left for Betty’s family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com
A time of visitation will take place June 27, 2024 at Brown Funeral Home 5-7 p.m., with the recitation of the Rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m.
A memorial mass will take place 11 a.m. June 28, 2024 at St. Mark Catholic Church officiated by Father Raab C.S.C and Brother Dennis Meyers, C.S.C with a procession following to Calvary Cemetery.
As we bid farewell to Betty Ellen DePoy, we do so with hearts full of gratitude for her life, her lessons, and her love. Her memory will be treasured as a blessing, a guiding light, and a reminder of the importance of faith and the infinite strength found in the goodness of the human spirit. She will be profoundly missed but lovingly remembered by all who were fortunate enough to have known her.