Betty Mae Maher

Betty Maher was a woman who loved to laugh, a rich, deep-hearted laugh as infectious as it was genuine. Betty had a beautiful sense of humor, and her many jokes and stories were a delight to everyone around her. She was a beloved lady, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, and a fine Christian woman, too. Today her love, her laughter, and her faith, finds its way to the hearts of all who knew her.

Betty’s story began on a cold winter day in 1926, as the holidays quickly approached in Chille, Wisconsin. Those were good days in this country, times of peace and prosperity, during the heyday of the Roaring 20s, and the peak of Prohibition. On December 18, 1926, Arno and Lucy (Fillner) Bredemann celebrated the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Betty.

Betty joined her big sister Lila in the family’s Wisconsin home, where her father was a hardworking farmer. The family grew up as faithful members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and little Betty attended the church school, Bethel Academy, as a result.

Eventually, Betty grew into a fine young woman, and after graduating from the public high school, she set out into the world. She eventually met a young man named Floyd “Dan” Cronkright, fell in love and was married in 1946. The newlyweds soon relocated to Dan’s hometown of Flint, Michigan.

After 10 years of living in Flint, the couple relocated to the charming town of Vicksburg, Michigan, across the state from Flint. There the couple became a family for the first time, with the births of two fine sons, first Floyd Daniel III, with little Victor rounding out the happy family.

Betty happily became a stay-at-home mother and homemaker, and delighted in doting on her family while Dan supported the family by working as a welding engineer. They did much together, from taking the kids on camping trips, to family motorcycle rides, to going up north to visit family. Betty and Dan also enjoyed bowling, and she was on many different leagues at Airway Lanes over the years.

On April 26, 1974, the family suffered a terrible blow, when Dan suddenly died. As a newly-widowed mother of two children, Betty picked herself up, and found a job as a cook at the Upjohn Corporation, where she remained for the next 13 years until retiring.

Betty was deeply saddened after Dan’s death, and just as she always had, she relied on her family and her deep faith in the Lord for support. But she wasn’t meant to remain alone forever. Betty eventually began to find companionship in a wonderful neighbor of hers, a man named John “Pat” Maher. They began dating, fell in love, and were married on February 25, 1978.

Betty and Pat had many things in common, from their love of travel, visiting places like Las Vegas, to their love for bowling, and bowled together often at Airway Lanes. Most of all, they loved to laugh together, which was always Betty’s strong suit. She was a tremendous storyteller, and had a wonderful sense of humor.

Sadly, Pat passed away on February 23, 1994, just before their 16th anniversary. Betty took his loss very hard, and once again, turned to her family and her faith to see things through. She was always a woman of great faith, and drew her strength from the Scripture she read daily. Betty loved to read the Bible, more than any novels on her shelf.

Betty also enjoyed doting on her grandchildren, who always brought a light to her days. She was a very active and involved grandma to her grandsons, Floyd Daniel IV, and Brandon James.

Sadly, Betty died on Thursday, October 2, 2008 at Bronson Methodist Hospital, after suffering a fall.

Betty was a wonderful woman, who lived a wonderful life, a life so full of family, faith and fond memories. Betty loved to laugh, to bring a smile to the faces of all those around her. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, and a lady who made us laugh. Today her love, her life, and her faith, lives on in all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Visit with her family on Tuesday from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. at Life Story Funeral Homes; Vicksburg, 409 S. Main St. where a funeral will be held on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. Members of Betty’s family include her sons Floyd Daniel Cronkright III and his wife Deborah and Victor Cronkright and his wife Connie, her grandsons Floyd Daniel Cronkright IV and Brandon James Cronkright and many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. Please visit Betty’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can share a memory or photo, sign her memory book online or make a memorial donation to American Diabetes Association or American Cancer Society.