Anita Gail Defever

Anita Gail DeFever passed away peacefully after a brief illness on October 16th, 2025. She was 83. Anita was born in Detroit, MI on July 6th, 1942 to Edgar & Evelyn Boisseau (Bald). She was the third child of six. She attended St. Agnes Catholic School in Detroit, where she made her first communion at the age of 7 in 1949. When the family relocated to Troy in the early 1950’s, she continued at Guardian Angels Catholic School in Clawson, completing her school years at Troy Public High School.

She loved spending time at her grandma’s farm in Gladwin as a young gal. Helping with the cows, getting muddy, and playing outdoors made her happy. As her cousin Karla recalled, “Anita was mischievous, adventurous, and funny.” Picking onions on the farm at 15 & Livernois, which later became a K-Mart, would earn her & her siblings $1.00 each for a day’s work. She had a blast rollerskating at the local rink and proudly won contests there in her younger years.

She married James Bentley on October 13th, 1962, welcoming children Diana, James, and Brian. She later remarried Robert DeFever on April 15th, 1971, with his son Robert joining the family. In 1972, Robert and Anita welcomed a son together, Michael. A family with five children made for a busy life. She cooked family meals, kept a beautiful home, supported participation in sports and other activities, and tended to them when they were sick. Diligent and selfless, she would stay awake through the night applying a cool compress to alleviate a fever. Her patience was immeasurable.

She was very involved and hands-on as they grew up. Singing nursery rhymes, dancing, playing cards, board games, & sitting on the floor teaching the kids how to play jacks, eye spy, and so much more. She enjoyed taking the family to the park with a picnic lunch, and she absolutely loved visiting The Detroit Zoo.

Her adoration for animals was strong throughout her life. She helped neighbors deliver newspapers on horseback, took care of kittens, and had a beloved pet bird as a little girl. Dogs were such important companions for her, and she spent her entire life with a pet dog by her side.

From a very young age, she loved to talk to people, especially older folks. She truly had the gift of gab and was known to strike up conversations with strangers anywhere she went, enjoying many adventures & fun times. Her sense of humor was remarkable.

In the early 80’s, Anita attended Marygrove College in Detroit to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. She briefly worked at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital, then went on to provide compassionate care to patients at Hilton Convalescent Home in Ferndale. She put her heart and soul into caring for the sick and elderly in their time of need. Providing love, care, and kindness to others gave her more fulfillment than anything. After retiring from her career at the nursing home, she went on to do several private duty jobs, not only helping others through being a caregiver, but forming what she reflected on as some of the most wonderful friendships of her life. Several families so loved our mother and entrusted her in caring for their loved ones that many of them went on having Anita provide hospice care. During this journey, Anita provided comfort, not only to her patients, but also their families.

In her free time, Anita enjoyed bowling on leagues. She played with several over the years, including mixed leagues with her husband and women’s leagues with her daughter. She had an appreciation for art, and often enjoyed sketching flowers, birds, and anything that inspired her. She loved a car ride on nice days in search of yard sales and browsing through thrift stores. A good bargain was the ultimate thrill for her, and she took so much pride in the lovely items she collected and thoughtfully arranged in her home.

She lived for sports, especially hockey. She was a dedicated Detroit Red Wings fan and followed the game through every season. She loved to recall the time she met and shared a conversation, along with an autograph, from one of her favorite players, Sergei Federov, at a local Starbucks. Being an avid fan of the game, she could recall the names of the entire Russian Five, who she was completely devoted to from their 1995 Detroit debut, through their iconic Stanley Cup championship in 1997.

Ultimately, family was the most important thing in the world to Anita. The abundant love she had for her six grandchildren & three great grandchildren brought her immense joy and filled her heart. Anita is survived by her children Diana (Marty) Ardito, Brian Bentley, and Bobby DeFever; grandchildren Kristen, Brandon, Michael, Kelly, Daniel, and Brooke; and great-grandchildren Alaska, Raelynn, and Isabella. She is also survived by her siblings Alberta Grant, Janet (Ed) Lixey, Kenneth (Christine) Boisseau, Deborah (Morris) Gibson, son-in-law Marty Ardito; brother-in-law Richard Schumborg, and many loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Edgar & Evelyn, husband Robert, children James and Michael, sister Veronica, and nephew David.

A private memorial mass will be held at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Rochester, Michigan.

Memorial contributions may be made in Anita's honor to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital online at www.stjude.org