Betty Margaret Fitzgerald

Lansing, Michigan

Betty Margaret (Crum) Fitzgerald was born May 21, 1921 in Grand Rapids, MI, the only child of Grover C. and Clara (Schwartz) Crum. She attended Grand Rapids Public Schools, and completed her senior year at Eastern High School after the family moved to Lansing, where her father found work near the end of the Great Depression. Betty attended Michigan State College and graduated in 1942 with dual majors in English and Journalism, along with secondary teaching certification in English, German and French. She worked for the Ingham County News and was reviewing a Lansing Civic Players production when she met one of the actors, Edward Kenneth Fitzgerald, at a cast party. It was love at first sight and she and Ken were married at College (now University) Lutheran Church on October 4, 1952. Betty became an advertising copy writer for the John Henry Company, and free-lanced for them while her children were small. After returning to work full time, she eventually became Director of Advertising, the position from which she retired. Although her architect husband had attended U of M, both Betty and Ken were avid Spartan fans. Both of their children graduated from MSU, and they enjoyed trips to bowl games where the Spartans were playing. In addition to her family, Betty was passionate about literature, history, art and gardening, and her home reflected her interests. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 53 years, Ken, and her daughter-in-law Jane Fitzgerald. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Claire and Robert Milne, of Kalamazoo; her son Russell, and her grandson Samuel, both of Dewitt Township. Having no siblings, Betty had a network of close friends who were like sisters to her. She was preceded in death by her friends Madelyn Owen and MaeBelle Cezon, and is survived by Dorothy Rice, Frances Johnson, Jo Brunger, and Joan Mathews. Services will be held Saturday, November 8, 2014 at University Lutheran Church, 1020 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, at 11am. Luncheon will follow with interment at Evergreen Cemetery at 2pm. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to the University Lutheran Church organ fund. The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, Lansing Chapel. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.grlansing.com.