Betty L. Papalas

Betty "Boop" Papalas of Allen Park, Michigan, passed away quietly with her daughter and caregiver present, on August 10, 2020, after 91 years. Betty and her sweet voice and boisterous laugh will be greatly missed and forever remembered as a loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother. Fondly referred to as Boop, The Boopster, Lou, and Betty Boop, Betty loved her family, her gardens, flowers, house plants, and her home.

Betty is preceded in death by her husband William, whom she married in 1950. She is survived by her five children Karen (Scott) Ducharme, Larry (Debbie) Papalas, Christina (Kevin) Stelzer, Lisa (Gary) Skonieczny, and Marcia (David Sexton) Papalas, 10 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and two on the way. Betty is also survived by her sisters Sue (the late Gus) Michelakis and Patricia (the late Willard) Wilson, sister-in-law Eleanor (the late Tony) Papalas, brother-in-law Peter (Mary Kay) Licavoli and many nieces and nephews and cousins. Betty is preceded in death by her mother and father Patricia Rohrer (the late Nick - Stepfather) and John Lawrence Hults, her daughter Michelle Papalas, her sisters, Marcia Licavoli and Peggy (Pat) Engrao, and her brothers-in-law, Elias, John (Eleanor), Gus (Sue), Nick, George (Rosemary “Toots”), Alex (Thespina), Marino (Mary), and her sisters-in-law Nina (Larry) Kotasek and Mary (Andy) Foundoulis.

Betty was born in Warren, Ohio, on December 4, 1928. She grew up with her four sisters and they had the usual sisterly love along with the competition. They each had to have their own locker to keep their clothes in and each other out.  Betty was a member of the Spanish Club and she liked to go roller skating, dancing, and ice skating. Betty worked at the bank, and at the Standard Transformer company after graduating from Warren G. Harding High School in 1947. William asked Betty out for a date because she kept walking by his machine at work. He kept asking her “when are we going roller skating?” They started dating. Roller skating, dancing at Avalon or Avon, swimming at Yankee Lake, and ice skating at Packard Park. He asked her to marry him after they went together for three years. After marriage, they had five children and took the kids swimming at Farmer Jim’s, ice skating, and took trips to Florida, Washington D.C., Santa Claus Land in Albany New York, and Storybook land in Pennsylvania. Betty took the kids to church on Sundays at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Betty loved to cook and bake fancy birthday cakes for the kids. Betty also liked to play cards with her friends, and she had the joy of spending time with her sisters and their families at picnics, Christmas Eve parties, and visits.

In the 70’s Karen and Larry, married with children, stayed in Warren, Ohio and Betty, William, Tina, Lisa, and Marcia moved to Michigan. It was a sad occasion leaving all of the wonderful family in Ohio, but Betty made new friends. She joined TOPS – Take Off Pounds Sensibly. Betty joined Elaine Powers Fitness and enjoyed working out and staying healthy. She rode her bike around the neighborhood. Betty was great at making comfort foods. Her pot roast, stuffed cabbages, and turkey dinners were the best! She also liked to cook many of her mother’s favorite recipes, especially casseroles.

Once the three youngest girls, Tina, Lisa, and Marcia were off to start their lives in other states or at college, Betty shifted her attention to her husband William. She cooked for him, baked for him, and looked forward to seeing photos of grandkids, taking trips to Warren to visit family, and talking to family on the phone. Betty got her driver’s license late in life and began to enjoy the independence of driving to shop, get groceries and go to the “Spa” to workout.

Later in life, Betty planned and attended weddings for her children, spent time with family and friends, attended weddings, dinners and barbeques, and continued with her exercising and bike riding. It must have paid off, as even into her late 80’s she was still able to be independent and lived in her own home until the day she passed.

When her husband passed in 2016, Betty started to get tired. She cared for William when he was ill, and she suffered health issues of her own, on and off. She still was able to take walks, go shopping, go to dinner, and cook and clean for herself, until 2018. This is when she began to need full time caregivers. She was accepting of their help, support and companionship, when she couldn’t be with her children. She looked forward to visits from her son Larry and her girls, Karen, Tina, and Lisa, and she relied on Marcia and Dave to do her shopping and to visit with her.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my Soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my Soul to take. We prayed she did not suffer and that she was able to enjoy her life. She was 91 and ½. She was walking on her own up until the day she passed away. Her heart was weak but her love for living and her family was strong. She was not ready to leave this earth, but God was ready for her. Rest in peace mom. May your memory be eternal.

Visitation is private at Weise Funeral Home, 7210 Park, Allen Park, on Sunday, August 16, 2020.
To keep people safe, services will be held at the grave site at 10:30 am Monday, August 17, 2020, at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery, 18303 Allen Road, in Brownstown, MI 48193.

In lieu of flowers, for those inquiring about donations, the family wishes that you donate to one of the following:

Spanos-Arete Chapter 9 of the Icarian Club
P.O. Box 1141, Lincoln Park, 48146.

Custom Hospice
888 W. Big Beaver Road #9000
Troy, MI 48084