Betty Mae DiNardo's Obituary
Betty Mae (Lerash) DiNardo, 85, of Columbus Township, Michigan, passed away on Saturday, December 29, 2018.
She was born in the Dobson family home, on Dobson Road in Filion, Michigan, on April 4, 1933 to Viola and Joe Lerash. She spent many summers there with her grandmother, who she was very close to, while her mom lived and worked in Detroit. She married Jerry DiNardo on November 8, 1952 ‘in the city’ and they lived in St. Clair Shores and Roseville.
In 1970, she returned to the country life that she loved, when they bought their home on a few acres in Columbus Township. Here, she and Jerry gardened. She canned more than 200 quarts of tomatoes every year. (Spaghetti, you know.) She did over 50 quarts of pickle beets, because her father in law loved them, too. Then, she would place hard boiled eggs in the jar, to pickle them. Canned pears, pears and plums, all from the yard. Pear Butter was especially delicious on toast. She planted strawberries, so many that she sold them, and bought herself a new kitchen table and chairs. But only after she had made plenty of strawberry banana jam, because that was her children's favorite. Or, maybe her tomato marmalade was the best? One year, she made cantaloupe jam. Trouble was, she went into labor for Colleen, so Christine and Jerry had to finish it. That fall she also got stuck in the wagon, being pregnant and picking corn. We used to ride in the back of the wagon, pick it, and put it in the wagon with us. It was full, and she was stuck. Then everyone would shuck the corn, blanch it, and cut if off the cob. It wasn’t work, it was fun. She froze enough for two meals a week, for the whole family. The floor was so sticky from the starch afterwards.
She picked rhubarb, made strawberry rhubarb jam, sauce for ice cream, and a delicious rhubarb cake. Speaking of cake, oh, the pineapple tea cake. It was everyone's favorite, and instead of taking a piece when no one was looking, they’d shave off a little piece all the way across the jelly roll pan. This is how the cake disappeared, lol. She also decorated the most beautiful cakes. She baked bread, letting it rise in the largest Pyrex bowl, the yellow one. Not only bread would be made, but the yummiest cinnamon rolls with raisins rolled in. She’d deep fry some of the dough, after pulling on it in several directions so it would fry evenly. These ‘frogs’ were then covered in honey and made the best doughnuts. Well, except for those yummy donut holes. Her favorite recipes are shared here. These are time tested, DiNardo children- and grandchildren-approved delicious recipes. Note the changes she has made, the year she got the recipe and who she got it from. If the recipe said ‘a.y.n.’ that was an old morning radio show in the Detroit area that you could call in for advice, recipes, or to share your recipes. As for her spaghetti sauce recipe? She usually just put everything in the pot. There was the ground tomatoes, topped with Parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, etc. She had to actually measure out one day to share this recipe. We’re glad she did.
She crocheted rugs, hats, aprons, even knitted a few hats that covered the soft boiled eggs in the cups that were turned on the lathe by Jerry. What a talented duo.
She loved the country life, and was a bit of a home body. Well, until Colleen would talk her into a road trip. Then the two of them (later joined by Nicky, after he was born) would explore Michigan together. Mom loved Michigan, namely the thumb region where she was born, and where most of her relatives resided. Mama and Daddy, as she and her ten year younger sister Judy referred to them, built a log cottage on the tip of the thumb, just two cottages west of Sleeper’s State Park, East of Caseville. Such a beautiful place, you could enjoy the sunrise, then the sunset. Jerry and Betty enjoyed parties at the cottage, along with all her cousins. Sadly, she hadn’t been able to enjoy the cottage in years, and it was recently sold out of the family to a higher bid.
She was especially close to her cousin Josephine Dobson-Duda, as you can see in the pictures of them. Both Josephine and Betty kept the picture of them together in their wallets, to this day. Betty had one wallet, her whole life.
Betty and Jerry bought quality products. This included the Singer 401 sewing machine. We still have the receipt. $329.34. I asked her how they decided on that model. It was January of 1959, Corey was due in April. “I had to have a good machine, I was making diapers for Corey!” Diapers? No. She was a seamstress. We don’t know which of the outfits she is pictured in that she made, but please know, that it could have been any of them. Her work was meticulous, Christine remembers checking a lined vest and skirt she made, not one mistake. She even took night classes that the St. Clair School District offered, and upholstered a complicated chair, including sewing thick piping. Betty and Christine took china painting classes in Richmond Schools, then at the lady’s home in Richmond. She laughed about the time she called the radio station to cancel our class because of snow. They were the only students.
Mom had troubles about every three years, and it caused a lot of family strife. Thankfully she was diagnosed with BiPolar disorder in 1988, and has taken medication for it.
In the last fifteen or so years, Betty and Jerry had a biweekly housekeeper. Margaret Wesley soon became mom’s best friend, and they enjoyed each others company, trading recipes and stories.
Betty Mae was preceded to death by her husband of 64 years Joseph Jerry, her parents Viola and Elmer Rudel, her sister and brother-in-law Joan (DiNardo) & Chuck Shields, her grandson, Charlie, and her daughter-in-law Amy, (Corey’s second wife).
Betty is survived by her five children: Corey DiNardo, Christine (Steve) Gorzen, Christopher (Bonnie) DiNardo, Curtis (Kelly) DiNardo, and Colleen (Steve) Fleming, thirteen grandchildren; Cheryl (Keith) Baum, Jeremy DiNardo, Alex (Erica) Gorzen, Andrew Gorzen, Alicia (James) Gorzen-O’Rourke, Ashley Miller, Amanda DiNardo, Bryan DiNardo, Emily DiNardo, Allison DiNardo, Cole DiNardo, Nicholai DiNardo, and Nahdia Fleming. Four great grandchildren; Anthony Baum, Bentley Flieger, and Zoey & Cassandra Gorzen. She is survived by her sister Judy Rudel, her brother in law Robert (Angela) DiNardo and several nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her best friend Margaret Wesley.
Funeral service will be held Friday, January 4th, 2019 at 10 a.m. at Young Funeral Home, China Twp., Chaplain Max Amstutz will officiate. Visiting hours are Thursday 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Private family interment will be in Christian Memorial Gardens West, Rochester Hills on Saturday. Memorials are suggested to Special Olympics of Michigan or Blue Water Hospice Home.
What’s your fondest memory of Betty?
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Share a story where Betty's kindness touched your heart.
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