Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Walker

Elizabeth “Betty” Walker of Flushing, Michigan died peacefully in her home on December 22, 2024 embraced by both of her children speaking words of love, devotion, thanks and faith affirming encouragement to go spend eternity with her “Fuzzy” and other departed loved ones.

A true Georgia peach in many aspects, Elizabeth was born in Savannah, Georga during the early years of World War II, and spent her childhood and young adult years in Savannah perfecting her passion for rescuing and caring for many creatures great and small. These included a pet monkey, horse, cats, dogs and an African grey parrot. She spent time at Tybee Island swimming, crabbing, and shrimping which always held happy memories for her and her siblings.

She met the love of her life and future husband as she arrived to her aunt’s home, pulling up in her 1962 MG convertible. Fuzzy was across the street on the steps of his boarding house, having recently arrived on assignment there with the U.S. Coast Guard. Fuzzy always joked he noticed the shiny white car with red leather seats first, before he noticed the “Fair Elizabeth” as he often called her. Turns out, she and the car came as a package for him, a deal they kept for the rest of their lives, with Fuzzy preceding Elizabeth in death on November 3, 2023.

Elizabeth earned her Associates Degree in Nursing from Mott Community College while her children were young, studying late into the night each evening once the kids had been bathed and put to bed. She worked as a registered nurse in the special care nursery at Flint Osteopathic Hospital (FOH), and then for Genesys Regional Medical Center, for a total of 23 years before retiring to take on the role of “Nana” for her four grandsons. While working at FOH, she worked with many co-workers who became lifelong friends. She also worked for McLaren Visiting Nurses doing immunizations all over Michigan.

Elizabeth was a very competitive player of her favorite board game, Scrabble. Many nights were spent at the family cottage at Elbow Lake locked in fierce competition “scrabbling” until the early morning hours. She loved the game, and almost always won. Elizabeth also had a “green” thumb, and spent many happy hours gardening outside amongst her flower gardens and fish ponds. Her home was always filled with many plants as well. She never met a dying plant on the clearance cart that she couldn’t nurse back to health. She was also a lifelong student of dance, starting as a young girl and continuing into her senior years where she competed in swing dance competitions. She earned her scuba diving certification at age 69 as she prepared for a Caribbean cruise, able to make several dives on the trip.

She enjoyed many different crafts, including sewing, tole painting, crocheting, beading, ribbon embroidery, scrapbooking and card making throughout the years. She seemed to be good at all of these interests. Her children have still not forgiven her for the homemade atrociously unfashionable, itchy summer clothes and bathing suits made for them by Mom in the 1970’s. She was also a great cook, often cooking some great Southern food including red rice and black eyed peas and boiled peanuts for her Yankee family. They do admit they were all blessed beyond expectations with a loving, nurturing, dependable, devoted, supportive selfless, fun loving, kind and strong Mom, wife, sister and Nana for the 82 years she had here on Earth.

Her presence will be forever cherished and greatly missed by her children, Holly and Christian, son-in-law Steve Herr, brother Kenneth Klinkert, sisters Judith Lyle and Deborah Stair, grandsons Mason, Brennen, Nolan and Reagan, brothers-in-law Don Morey and Randy Walker; several nieces and nephews, extended family Luis (Jessica) Colmenares, Jace, Jackson, Jaden and Jensen, as well as Liliana Colmenares (Ramses Roca), Juliana, dear friend of the family Dale “Hoppy” Hopkins, and many other loving friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Howard “Fuzzy” Walker, her mother Edith S. Kemp and dear aunt Catherine Spencer. 

The family would like to thank McLaren Hospice for coming alongside our loved one in helping all of us help her to live out her life journey at home, surrounded by all the people and pets she loved and cherished.

Elizabeth’s wishes are for any interested donations to be directed to Last Chance Rescue in Howell, MI via www.last-chance-rescue.com 

A memorial / life celebration service will be held on January 25, 2025 at 11:00 am at Faith Missionary Church, 1327 Elms Road, Flint, MI 48532. A luncheon and time for fellowship will follow the church funeral service.