Betty DeShazo

Betty DeShazo was never afraid to be herself. She was thoughtful and silly, and her engaging personality won the hearts of people all over the world. But no matter where she was, her thoughts were always with her family. They were the most important people in her life, and they will always remember the incredible life she led.

During the 1920s, American society achieved success on many fronts. Besides the wild parties with flappers and jazz, the decade had significant technological advancements that made people’s lives easier. Assembly lines made products available to the public at low costs, and automobiles gave people an individualized and fast means of transportation.

Michigan became an important center for automobile production. In the state’s capitol of Lansing, Raymond Rusk worked as a mechanic for a Harley Davidson Dealership. He was an energetic and handsome young husband who delighted in his wife, Dolores (Waite). Together they traversed the countryside in their Harley Davidson, Raymond in the driver’s seat and Dolores in the sidecar. Even when Dolores became pregnant, they still traveled a great deal. One of their trips was to a Harley Motorcycle Rally Jack Pine Run. It became a particularly memorable trip because, as they returned home, Dolores went into labor. She was certain she would give birth in the sidecar, but luckily, Raymond was able to make it home in time. Betty Rusk was born in her parents’ Lansing home on May 30, 1921.

Betty was the only child born to Raymond and Dolores. She and her parents lived in Lansing for the next 12 years, until Raymond secured a position at the Chrysler factory in Detroit. Though it was difficult to move to a new town, Betty was an intelligent and thoughtful girl who made friends easily. She even decided to join the Lutheran Church, where she enjoyed singing in the choir and was an active member of the youth group. Although Betty’s parents were supportive, she made the decision to join the church completely on her own, and this was also where she met her lifelong friend Junie Bieker.

Betty also spent her time helping her father, who was laid off from Chrysler during the Depression. He found work servicing vending machines and Betty would often tag along. This was more interesting than one might think, especially considering that many of the vending machines were in clubs called “Blind Pigs.”

At the age of 14, Betty began attending Southeastern High School. That summer, Betty and her parents took an unforgettable trip to San Diego to visit relatives. California was much different than Michigan, but that was not what made the trip memorable for Betty. She had fallen in love with “her sailor,” a man named Tom DeShazo. Though she was only 14, Betty knew Tom was the one. Tom, too, was in love.

After Betty returned to Detroit, they corresponded faithfully for four years. He proposed to Betty during her senior year of high school. They had a big church wedding just months after her graduation, on September 30, 1939. It was not long before Tom went overseas to fight in World War II.

Tom returned from the war, but he decided to make the Navy his career. He and Betty, therefore, began their married life in Norfolk, Virginia. They moved continually, living in locations throughout the US and South Pacific. Hawaii was Betty’s favorite by far. Here, she befriended the other navy wives and raised her young children here among the tropical flowers and ocean breezes.

Tom retired from the Navy in 1957. He and Betty moved to Saginaw, where they lived until the 1970s. Betty was glad to be close to her family again. Betty dearly loved both of her parents and she tried to comfort her mother as best she could after her fathers accidental death, her mother came to live with the family in Saginaw until she married some years later.

In Saginaw, Betty worked in retail managing a thrift shop. She also taught jewelry classes and was very active with a women’s group called “Merry Wives.” Though the city life was fast paced, soon Betty and Tom decided they were ready for a quieter life at Lake Isabella. Here, they enjoyed the simple things, like fishing, golfing, and playing cards with their friends.

Betty loved spending time with her children and grandchildren as well. Her son and daughters in law appreciated that she never tried to interfere with the way they raised their families. She just wanted to be a part of their lives. Betty enjoyed being involved with her grandchildren’s lives and she volunteered to watch them whenever she could. Her grand dogs – Abby, Scooter, Lucy, Bandit, and Amos - were also important to her. She loved animals and kept a gold fish and birds of her own, taking in stray cats whenever she could.

Betty and Tom moved to Kalamazoo in the early 1990s. After Tom’s death in 1993, Betty continued to live in their condo for several more years. Her family remained a large part of her life, and in 2001 she decided to move to Friendship Village.

Betty made an incredible impression on many lives. She was kind, thoughtful, and hardworking, but she also had a tremendous respect for the people in her life. She never judged them; she just accepted them for who they were. Betty’s supportive presence will be greatly missed, but the memories she created with her friends and family will always be remembered.

Betty Jean DeShazo died Thursday, July 1, 2004. She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom DeShazo. Members of her family include: her three children, Ray (Carol) DeShazo of Lexington, South Carolina, Diane (Art) Street of Johannesburg, Michigan, and Bob (Jan) DeShazo of Kalamazoo; her four grandchildren, Jamie, Kelly, Trevor, and Jesse; and her great-grandchildren, Jeremy, Ryan, Kelsey, and Kyle.

Friends may visit with the family on Monday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home™ in Kalamazoo. A service to celebrate her life will be held at the same location on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. Private interment will be in Roselawn Cemetery, Saginaw. Please visit Betty’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can read her life story, archive a favorite memory, order flowers or make a memorial contribution to Mattawan Early Elementary School Fund or Lewiston Michigan Library Fund.