Betty Jean Lounsbery

On March 22, 2021, Betty Jean (Chandler) Lounsbery passed away at the age of 99. She is survived by her daughter Cindy, and son-in-law, Dave of Haslett, Michigan, and her sister Anne Smith of St. Clair Shores, Michigan. She was preceeded in death by her brother, Harry Chandler.

Betty was born on August 20, 1921 in Detroit, Michigan to Herbert and Ethyl Chandler. She received her bachelors degree in home economics from Michigan State University in 1943.

On May 12, 1948, she married Thomas J. Lounsbery whom she met while they were both working at Hudson’s Department Store in Detroit. She was a kitchen designer there. They had one daughter, Cindy. Tom was hired by the Whirlpool Corporation in 1953 and they relocated to Benton Harbor where they stayed until his retirement.

After Tom’s retirement, they moved to Palm Springs, California. Betty went back to school there and earned her associates degree in interior design at the College of the Desert. She was very proud of this achievement.

Betty was an accomplished cook and seamstress. She was nicknamed “Betty Crocker” by Cindy’s friends. She also did many art projects and taught the art of decoupage. She also worked in the Benton Harbor High School library for a while.

She loved following the MSU Spartans and the Detroit Tigers. Betty was an avid reader and crossword puzzle fan, especially the New York Times Sunday puzzle.

After Tom’s death in 1988, she moved to East Lansing to be near Cindy. She became a volunteer at Wharton Center of the Performing Arts on MSU’s campus where she worked in the gift shop. She also worked at a job she loved for many years at the Mackerel Sky Gallery of Contemporary Craft.

While living in Lansing, she knit hundreds of baby hats for the newborns at Sparrow Hospital. She took great delight in choosing the colors and patterns for these.

There will be no funeral sevice. A Celebration of Life may take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Lansing or Wharton Center of the Performing Arts.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greastlansing.com for the Lounsbery family.