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Rosalie Brindley

February 24, 1939 - January 4, 2020
Kalamazoo, MI

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Visitation

Thursday, January 9, 2020
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM EST
Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes
Kalamazoo Location
6080 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 375-2900
Driving Directions

Rosary

Thursday, January 9, 2020
7:00 PM EST
Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes
Kalamazoo Location
6080 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 375-2900
Driving Directions

Mass of Christian Burial

Friday, January 10, 2020
11:00 AM EST
St. John Bosco
23830 Front Avenue
Mattawan, MI 49071
Web Site

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Rose Arbor Hospice
5473 Croyden Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49006
(269) 345-8910
Driving Directions
Web Site

St. John Bosco Catholic Church
23830 Front Avenue
Mattawan, MI 49071
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ambati
1830 S. Westnedge
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(269) 349-4961
Driving Directions
Web Site

Schafer's Flowers Inc.
3274 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(800) 760-7050
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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Rosalie Brindley was a wonderful person through and through. She savored spending quality time with others. Rosalie’s loving personality made her the perfect match for a lasting friendship. Whenever she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren, her heart was content. To her, there was nothing more important than family. Her warm personality, friendly smile, and hospitality are the treasures she leaves behind for all those who knew and loved her.

Reflecting on the year 1939, it was an exciting time in our nation’s history as The Wizard of Oz held its Hollywood premiere, the first commercial air flight crossed the Atlantic, and thousands of Americans watched television for the first time at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City! In the Midwest town of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Reynold and Caroline Homrich welcomed home Rosalie on February 24th. Her birth brought much joy to the family home.

Growing up, Rosalie lived a typical childhood of the times and loved spending time at her grandparent’s farm in Byron Center. With a large family, there was never a dull moment and always enough to keep her busy. She learned many of the traditional roles of women of her era from cooking as well as pitching in with the household chores. Yet, when she was old enough to start earning her own money, she didn’t hesitate to start helping out at her father’s party store in Kalamazoo. She also loved spending time at their lake home on Crooked Lake in Delton. Responsible and studious, she graduated with the Class of 1957 from St. Augustine Catholic School. Most of her time was spent cruisin’ around town in her Mercury and listening to her favorite music including Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll! She was such a huge fan of his that she attended two of his concerts. Rosalie was even lucky enough to catch his scarf during his 1977 stop at Wings Stadium and she still has the scarf to this day!

Not to be forgotten, however, was the meeting of William Brindley, her sweetheart that she met through their fathers. The happy couple joined in marriage in 1958 and started a family of their own. Over the course of their thirty years of marriage, they raised four wonderful children. As a family, they enjoyed taking many memorable vacations to Pentwater. Growing up near an inland lake Rosalie was a lover of any open water and especially loved the Great Lakes. She loved to swim as well as fish with her cane pole! They also cherished their time at Cedar Point as well as Texas over the years. Making their home in Portage, Rosalie took their children to weekly mass at St. Monica’s Catholic Church and instilled in them the value of service toward those in need.

Rosalie modeled a lifetime of many simple and selfless acts. She would often make time to take care of others including driving the elderly to their doctor appointments or wherever they needed. Rosalie was masterful at prioritizing her daily life to include spending time with her family in addition to helping others. Her children were raised in a nurturing home where they treasured her talents in the kitchen enjoying her delicious pies, chocolate cakes or homemade applesauce! She was never too busy to tend to their needs and always had time for them. Her natural way of loving everyone will be her greatest legacy to her family.

When her loving husband, William, passed in 1989 she leaned on her faith and the support of many friends and family. Several years later in 1992, she reconnected with Larry DeValle, a former high school friend. Larry and Rosalie found happiness on School Section Lake in Van Buren County. She continued her passion for fishing and relaxation. The two of them also enjoyed tooling around their property on their golf cart. Larry and Rosalie treasured their years of traveling together. They enjoyed a couple of trips to Hawaii and a remarkable thirty-three trips out to Las Vegas! She and Larry had great fun together. Larry would take Rosalie to her weekly hair appointments and she would prepare him the most delicious homemade meals! Larry took loving care of Rosalie, especially in her later years as she relied on him more.

Whatever Rosalie had her heart set on doing she did it with great love. When her grandchildren came to visit, she’d drop everything to fix them a special treat. They also remember her helping them with homework. Rosalie enjoyed these years immensely as she had a passion for her grandchildren and loved to attend their sporting events. Born with a green thumb, she also enjoyed spending time in her flower gardens. She was equally nurturing to her flowers as she was to the many people in her life. Sadly, Rosalie passed, yet her warm collection of memories will surely be cherished and fondly remembered by her loved ones and many special friends.

Rosalie Brindley, age 80, of Paw Paw, Michigan, died peacefully on January 4, 2020. Rosalie was preceded in death by her husband, William Brindley; her siblings: James Homrich and Joyce Kimble. Surviving is her significant other, Larry DeValle; children: Bryan (Paula) Brindley, Lori (Louis) Verile, Shelly (Matt) Pattison, Rob (Cheryl) Brindley, Tammy (Chris Huggett) Dodd, Kip (Lisa) DeVall, and Kelly DeValle; grandchildren: Bill, Justin, Travis, Jordan, Kaitlin, Sammantha, Nick, Jake, Robby, Dylan, Tyler, Devan, Dayton; great-grandchildren: Olivia, Owen, Jaxon; and her sister, Donna (Dan) Collins, Sister-in-Laws Mary Ann Homrich, Marlynn (Mike) Cloney, Sandy (Gene) Willis, and many nieces and nephews.

Visit with family and friends from 4 PM to 7 PM on Thursday, January 9, 2020. A Rosary will be recited at 7 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Dr., Kalamazoo, 269-375-2900. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 AM on Friday, January 10, 2020, at St. John Bosco Church in Mattawan. A luncheon will immediately follow Mass with burial after at Mt. Ever Rest Cemetery. Visit Rosalie’s personal webpage at www.BetzlerLifeStory.com where you may archive a favorite memory or photo and sign her online guestbook. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John Bosco Catholic Church and Rose Arbor Hospice.

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