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Obituary for Betsy Charteris
Betsy B. Charteris, a resident of Milford, Michigan and native of Wisconsin, passed away on September 20, 2008. She was 79 years old. Born on January 16, 1929 in Wisconsin Rapids, Betsy grew up in Portage, Wisconsin, where she was a graduate of Portage High School. Following high school she attended the University of Wisconsin and later moved to Michigan where she attended St. Mary�s Orchard Lake.
She married Gerald Charteris April 15th 1972 and made their home in Southfield Michigan.
Betsy worked as an office coordinator for her husband Jerry�s veterinary practice, the Southfield Veterinary Hospital for many years until they retired in 1988.
They had a wonderful partnership during their years together and were not only husband and wife but best friends. They shared many exciting adventures in their years of travel and sailing on the water that they loved so much. Both enjoyed having family gatherings, including celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary, at their home on Lake Sherwood in Commerce, until they moved to Milford in 1999. She would lose her husband on January 2, 2000.
In the years that followed, she enjoyed opportunities to volunteer at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital and at the Milford Township Library where, as a voracious reader, she was right at home. She continued to do the traveling she so much loved�trips with friends to Washington State, Arizona, Northern Wisconsin, and to see family in Oklahoma and Kansas. She also traveled abroad to London, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Italy.
In her spare time she enjoyed playing bridge and euchre, was a talented painter, and a wonderful cook who on any given day may have had a new �experiment� for family to taste. No matter the occasion, dinner, family gathering, or holiday, she made it special.
She gave everything to her family. She was always the �rock�, no matter how difficult her health problems became, she always had a great attitude and took it as it was. She was very giving and loving with all in her life, her family, her friends in the Fellowship, to all she met she shared her great sense of humor, her wisdom and was always there to help. To meet her, was to love her.
She is survived by her children, Barbara Hanford of Tulsa, OK; John (Donna) Kleist of Highland; Colleen (Michael) Brinkman of Royal Oak, Maureen (Daryl) Watson of Berkley, Eileen (John) Makuch of Algonac; Hugh Charteris of Berkley; Philip (Kathleen) Charteris of Milford as well as seventeen grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Also surviving are her sister, Joyce (Tim) Gloeckler of Portage, WI and brother, Tom Boetcher. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Gerald C. Charteris D.V.M. in 2000, and a son, Gary Kleist in 2006.
A Funeral Liturgy will be held at St. Mary Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 1955 E. Commerce Rd., Milford, on Wednesday, September 24, at 10AM. Cremation will follow. Friends may visit at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 404 E. Liberty, Milford, on Tuesday, September 23, 4-9PM. Memorials may be made in her name to the Milford Township Library or to St. Mary's Catholic Church for a Mass to be prayed in her memory.
For further information please phone 248-684-6645.
