Ida Elizabeth Smith

Betty Passed away the afternoon of Friday, March 24th with her children and their spouses by her side. Betty was born Ida Elizabeth Allor on March 2nd 1943 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan to Albert Allor and Dorothy Reaume. Named after her two grandmothers, Betty was not fond of the name Ida and was so pleased when the nuns at school insisted she go by her middle name, Elizabeth. It was her friends and family who shortened it to Betty. She was the third of five children, her elder siblings, twins Mark and Mary Ann and two younger brothers, John and James. Betty was baptized at St Paul. Made her first communion at St Joan of Arc and confirmed at St Paul. She attended Catholic and public schools in Detroit and the Grosse Pointe area. In the fall of 1961 her older brother Mark introduced her to his coworker Dale. Dale was then engaged to another woman, but after meeting Betty he quickly called off the engagement and the two began dating, engaged themselves by late winter of 1962.

It was on June 16th 1962 that Dale Raymond Smith married Betty at St Gertrude Catholic Church in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. The first of their four children was born just over a year later, followed by another son, then a daughter. They were surprised four years later with their third son, their fourth and final child.

Betty was kept busy raising her four children. Becoming very involved with their hockey and figure skating endeavors. Driving them around the Metropolitan Detroit area. Betty enjoyed taking care of her family’s backyard pool while only occasionally flooding the neighbor’s garden. The children’s friends were envious of Betty’s love of cutting the grass and vacuuming the pool. She enjoyed the family’s annual trips to Burt Lake State Park in Indian River, Michigan, even looking forward to this summer’s visit.

Her children soon grew and moved on. By this time her sights became focused on one thing. Grandchildren, her first born in 1990. After six girls, she and Dale welcomed their first grandson in 1998. Numbers 8, 9 and 10 all arrived by the spring of 2000.

In the spring of 2005 Betty and Dale decided to sell everything and “hit the road” in their truck and fifth wheel trailer. It was then that the four of us were “gifted” all the things our mother had saved for us. There were plaster handprints, a Sally, Dick and Jane book and left over wallpaper from our childhood bedroom. They then spent the next 18 months travelling the country. Discovering a favorite spot in Berea, Kentucky. There, they spent most of their time.

It was in January of 2007 when Dale suffered two ruptured brain aneurysms. Miraculously he survived. Betty spent the next year, selflessly, nursing him back to his former self. They moved back to Detroit and continued to enjoy their children and grandchildren. Eventually moving next door to their son Scott, his wife Kris and their family. From them they received excellent care and attention.

It was just weeks after celebrating their fifty third wedding anniversary in 2015, that she lost her husband Dale. Betty continued to enjoy her children and grandchildren. Welcoming her first great-grandchild in 2015 and her first grandchild-in-law, the summer of 2016. In the fall of 2016, with her Parkinson’s disease advancing, her daughter Kelley moved in to aid in her care. It was the twentieth of March that Betty was brought to the emergency room at McLaren Macomb. With a discharge date in sight Betty sat with her daughter and daughter–in-law, Kelly. She told them of a dream she had had the night before. Dale was knocking at her door, wondering when she was going to join the party. She commented on her lack of leg pain, wondering aloud what the doctors had done. While sitting in her chair, beside her hospital bed she suffered a fatal heart attack.

Betty is survived by her sons John (Catherine), Scott (Kristine) and Jason (Kelly), her daughter Kelley Cupolo. Grandchildren: Ann, Nina, Teresa Guastella (Dan), Sarah, Nicole (Chuck), Kayla (Nick), Jacob, Alex (Tiffany), Mario and Grace Cupolo and her great granddaughter Katie Ann. Brothers Jack (Ada) Allor, Jim (Tina) Allor, Sisters-in-law, Roseanne Allor and Joan Ciske and 14 nieces and nephews. Betty was predeceased by her parents, her brother Mark, sister Mary Ann and brother-in-law Hank Ciske.

A memorial visitation will be held at Kaul Funeral Home in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Saturday, April 1, 2017 from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm with a 7:00pm prayer service.