Elizabeth Pass Debelius

Bettie P. Debelius of Annapolis, MD, and Bethany Beach, DE, a proud Mother of four and a supportive Grandmother of seven, who also found time for volunteer service as a representative of the Chief of Staff of the Army, died on March 8 at her home in Annapolis.

Born Elizabeth Ann Pass in Baltimore City on February 24, 1932, she was the only child of the late Margaret McClaskey Pass and Charles Kenneth Pass, widow of Colonel Charles A. Debelius, US Army Retired; mother of four beloved children: Charles A. (Chip) Debelius, Jr. (Channing Lynn), Timothy J. Debelius (Anne Woodhouse), Kenneth J. Debelius (Mary Attenweiler), and Margaret A. (Maggie) Debelius (Mike Schiavo). Bettie has seven outstanding grandchildren: Justine, Margaret, Colleen, Peter Debelius, Megan Williams, and Charlie and Jack Schiavo; and two great-grandsons: Cooper and Banks Euliss.

Bettie was a stewardess with American Airlines before marrying 2nd Lieutenant Charles (Chuck) Debelius in 1954, when he graduated from West Point. Together, Bettie and Chuck raised four children, all of whom are professionals in their chosen fields. She and Chuck celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2014.

In the 1950s, airline companies required that stewardesses be single. After marrying Chuck, she joined and continued her association with KIWIs, an organization of former flight attendants whose wings had been clipped because of marital status.

Bettie took up the responsibilities of a military spouse in earnest after her wedding. She greatly enjoyed the three years she spent in Germany, where her husband was first stationed. She was active in the military community both as an army wife and as a teacher at the Education Center in Dexheim, Germany. She was especially proud to have helped many young G.I.s earn their high school diplomas.

Because the Army sent Chuck on unaccompanied tours of duty in Somalia and later in Vietnam, she was often kept busy as both Mother and Proxy Father for her children. During her Army years, she spent time at Fort Belvoir, VA; Anderson Barracks in Germany; West Point, NY; Springfield, VA; Fort Leavenworth, KS; the Army War College in Carlisle, PA; and Fort Richardson, AK. In 1977, she chaired the committee that staged the Castle Ball, an annual event for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Even while her children were young, she devoted time and talent to a variety of hobbies, including Ikebana (the art of Japanese flower arranging) and millinery creations. She was also a stalwart member of Engineer Officers’ Wives Club wherever the Army sent her husband.

Her other memberships included St. Mary’s College of MD Alumni, Capital KIWIs, and Girl Scouts of the USA, for which she was an active adult leader. She was the military representative to the Girl Scouts Susitna Council in Anchorage, AK.

She lived in Alexandria, VA, for 25 years after Chuck retired from the Army. During that period, she volunteered her unique talents and her knowledge of grief management as an Arlington Lady. In that capacity, she represented the Chief of Staff at burial ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery for fallen Army personnel. She was especially pleased to have received a Letter of Commendation from the Chief of Staff himself.

One of her greatest joys was watching the progress of her seven beloved grandchildren. She never forgot the time that a very young Margaret spoke seriously to her grandfather, Chuck, and said, “Grandfather, you married the right person!”

A visitation will be held from 4 to 6 PM on March 18 at John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD. Later this year, a Catholic service at the Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer, VA, will be conducted after which she will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Poor Clare Nuns at the Monastery of the Poor Clares, 2505 Stonehedge Drive, Alexandria, VA 22306. Mrs. Debelius was a member of the Parish of St. Ann, Bethany Beach, DE and St. Mary’s parish of Annapolis, MD.