Esther E. “Betty” Babecki, 93, of Evanston, IL, formerly of Chicago and Couderay, WI, passed away Wednesday, January 10, at Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL. Loving wife of Robert J. Babecki for more than 59 years; devoted mother to Robert S. (the late Lise Sasseville and Lorraine Vinci) and Susan E. (Richard) Becker; loving grandmother of the late David, Charles (Émilie Gosselin), and Geneviève Babecki, Alexandra and Jason (Megan) Becker; loving great-grandmother to Clara and Victoria Babecki and baby Becker to be born in June; loving aunt of Eva and Lorica (Mark Sidoryk) Adler, Steven, Paul, and the late Gregory Babecki; loving great-aunt to Nikita Sidoryk; devoted sister-in-law to the late Naomi (Cochran) Adler and the late Steven L. Babecki; beloved daughter of the late Albert and Elsie (Sherwood) Adler; and dear sister of Richard, the late Carl, and the late Paul Arthur Adler.
Betty earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern Illinois State College in 1969. She graduated with a Master in Library and Information Science from Rosary College in 1983. After her husband and family, her great loves were children and reading. She combined them in a long career as a children’s librarian for the Chicago Public Library in the Albany Park, Bezazian, and Lincoln Park Branches. Thousands of Chicago area children discovered books with her help and experienced the magic of “Mrs. B.” reading aloud during her story hours.
After her retirement in 1993, Betty and Bob spent almost two decades at their beloved cabin on Blueberry Lake near Couderay, WI. Together with her brother, Richard, they enjoyed fishing and boating, reading and hiking, and exploring nurseries and antique shops. It was the culmination of their shared vision and faith in the future when they bought a piece of land 400 miles from home in 1954.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at Drake & Son Funeral Home, 5303 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at St. Gregory The Great Catholic Church, 5545 N. Paulina St., Chicago, IL 60640. Interment will be private.
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