Elizabeth Marie Andre

Elizabeth Marie Andre, beloved daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, mother and grandmother, born on April 5, 1919 in Detroit, Michigan, passed away peacefully on February 12, 2017 at 1:02 AM. She resided in Burbank, California at the time of her passing. Arrangements were under the direction of Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, California.

Elizabeth Bette (Boop) Andre lived a full life traveling throughout the country, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Hawai'i. She spent her last months in assisted living and was surrounded by wonderful friends and family in her last days.

Bette was born in Detroit (Highland Park), Michigan to Hungarian immigrants John and Esther. She joins her mum, dad and older sister Goldie in heaven.
Until November 1, 2010 Elizabeth was a proud Michigander when she moved to California full-time to enjoy warmer weather and to be closer to her oldest son. Bette spoke 2 languages and obtained a License Vocational Nurse degree; and thereafter cared for physician, hospital and industrial patients. In her later years she worked in hospital administration. Bette was part of the St. Isidore Nurse volunteers providing blood pressure readings. She also led armchair aerobics at her Clinton Township apartment complex.

Elizabeth wed Edward Francis Andre in March 1949 and they had three children. Bette is survived by her three sons: Gary, Richard (his wife Diane - both of South Carolina) and Marc (his wife Michelle and their children Danielle, Raymond, Hannah & Nicole) residing in Warren, Michigan.

Bette loved to cook, read three books a week and the daily newspaper and do crossword puzzles, as well as cheer on the Detroit Red Wings. Bette was a two time breast cancer survivor. There is more to this inquisitive, grand and fiercely independent woman's life, a life that will remain cherished in the hearts of those who had the chance to meet Bette. A fabulous and loving mother and friend to many.

Many thanks for the kind and beautiful thoughts and prayers we have received.

A brief crypt side ceremony took place on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 from 10:00 A.M. at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions may be made to MusicandMemory: https://musicandmemory.org/

Please sign the family's online guestbook:

http://forestlawn.tributes.com/obituary/show/Elizabeth-Marie-Andre-104458671


The Unknown Author Prayer requested by Elizabeth M. Andre

April 5, 1919 to February 12, 2017

Please don't grieve for me; for now I am free, I am following the path God has laid out for me. I took his hand when I heard him call my name. I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day to laugh, to love or to play.

Tasks left undone must remain undone or completed by others. I found peace at the close of that day.

If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, a special meal with friends and family. Yes, these things and many other moments will be missed, but fondly recalled.

Please do not be burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you the sunshine of many tomorrows. My life has been full. I have savored much, great friends, good times and a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seems all too brief; don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts and celebrate that God wanted me now. He sent for me and set me free.


EULOGY FOR MY MUM
February 21, 2017 by Gary Paul Andre

My mother, Elizabeth Marie André, would answer to Bette and Bette Boop. My mother's name Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew "Elisheba" meaning Oath of God or God is satisfaction. Bette was the second child of Hungarian immigrants John & Esther. Sister Goldie was Esther's favorite and Bette was closest and a favorite of her father John.

Bette's service to others began in her twenties when she decided to go to nursing school. She eventually became a Licensed Vocational Nurse and worked for the very same physician, Dr. Raymond Gadowski, who also delivered her three children.

Mother was not typical of mothers in the 1950s because she worked outside the home, first in a physician's office for many years, later in a hospital and then for a long-time in an industrial setting where injuries were frequent as her company created windows and steel products.

In her last career as a Hospital Administrator she would collect money for the hospital from various insurance companies. (Sound familiar)?

Mom's fabulous Hungarian cooking included her special "chicken and dumplings," Swiss steak, breaded chicken and various desserts, including her special Hungarian cookies (Apricot Kolaches) that we ate as soon as they came out of the oven.

All of Mom's cooking was from "scratch" and she very rarely consulted a recipe. Many friends were dinner guests or would be sent home with her tasty food.
When my mother retired she raised her own herbs thereby making her very yummy food even better.

Whether I was coming home from school or visiting her in Michigan my favorite Hungarian dishes were the first order of business.

In retirement, Bette had more time to volunteer at her local church. She would go to mass every day; and as a member of the St. Isidore Altar Society would assist a group of women cleaning the church, working rummage sales and the famous Strawberry Festival in June of every year. Mom eventually directed the Altar Society women cleaning the church. For a period of time she also cooked great meals for the priests.

On Sundays, Bette was one of the Church Nurse volunteers and they would provide parishioners with blood pressure readings. She prided herself in sending 3 or 4 people with dangerously high blood pressure directly to a local hospital and her quick action saved their lives.

After many years of volunteering Elizabeth was honored at a luncheon and named one of Macomb County's Volunteers of the Year. The photo here (in the Red outfit and scarf) is from that luncheon and in planning for her own funeral she wanted to wear the very same outfit today.

My Mother visited California for more than 30 years; however in November 2010 she moved permanently to South Pasadena and flourished meeting new friends. Many are here today.

I recall we went on many memorable and amazing trips to Niagara Falls, Montreal, Quebec, Hawai'i and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. (In 1992 I recall driving from Wagga Wagga to Sydney, Australia. My mother thought she would let me know I should not drive so fast, as I might get a ticket. It wasn't more than 4 minutes later I was pulled over by a New South Wales Trooper for speeding. My mother didn't have to say "I told you so!" – But you knew what she was thinking with her knowing smile. I didn't get a ticket since I was a foreigner)!

Bette loved to cook, read three books a week and the daily newspaper and do crossword puzzles, as well as cheer on the Detroit Red Wings.

Bette was a tough woman, raising 3 boys mostly on her own, a two time breast cancer survivor; and a lady who found herself doing physical therapy twice, in her late 80s and 90s, in order to remain fiercely independent. I describe my hockey mom as Feisty and Fun.

Bette lived alone and on her own terms until July 2016. I had the good fortune of many of mom's friends to step in as caregivers to help Bette and me. The situation required more full-time attention and in October 2016 she went quite voluntarily to assisted living and embraced a whole new world and new friends.

My mother's sense of humor and sage advice was shared with many. I'm sure people here have their own stories of my mother that remain to be shared.

In closing this eulogy, you should know my mother helped prepare the details of her departure to heaven. I thank you all for helping me say goodbye to my beautiful mother.


EULOGY FOR MY MOTHER
February 21, 2017 by Marc Joseph Andre

Danielle:
I know that everything she did, she did out of love. I will never forget that.

Ray:
I always felt welcomed and loved.

Hannah:
For Grandma, in my 27 years on earth, I didn't get the chance to spend much of it with my grandmother, but the time we did have together, albeit short, she always was good to me, never judged me, and always welcomed me with open arms. 2 years ago I finally had the chance to go visit her and catch up on all of the lost time. Just getting to be with her for a few days warmed my heart. She was the kindest, most loving, and strongest woman I've ever met. Even in her old age, she was a firecracker- extremely independent, had an amazing sense of humor, and an adorable sassiness to her that you couldn't help but adore. She's truly an inspiration to me and I wish had more time with her. Again, being able to spend those few days around her felt amazing, like we were never apart, but it also pained me knowing that that might have been the last time I'd get to see her, hear more stories about her life, but most importantly hug her and tell her how much I loved her. Grandma was a fighter, a badass, and she lived life to the fullest- now it's time to rest. I love you grandma, and miss you more than words can express. – Hannah

Nicole:
Two years ago I took a trip to California with my dad and Hannah that changed my life. I reconnected with my grandmother and discovered a strong and witty woman, with a mental museum of family history. But most of all I learned it's never too late to get to know someone, to love someone. Grandma inspired me when we talked about crochet, knitting, and cooking. She was a talented, loving, and giving person. She filled my belly with delicious Hungarian chicken and my mind with inspiration to keep crafting. Thank you, Grandma, for accepting me for who I am. I love you and I'll cherish your memory always.

Marc:
I can't top what was said by Danielle, Raymond, Hannah and Nicole nor will I try. Mom raised us boys on her own. We were not always cooperative, but she was proud of us nonetheless. Mom's patients, kindness and caring will never be forgotten. Mom wanted to have a close relationship with her grandkids, I am truly sorry that I didn't do everything in my power to make that happen.

Mom, I love you & will miss you tremendously.


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THE HUNGARIAN IMMIGRANT

By: Elizabeth M. André

My father, John F., left his Hungarian home at the age of eighteen – a small town outside of Budapest. The name of this town is Sarud. A translation of this town's name is – One Red House – "Egy Piros Ház." John was sent on his way with a loaf of bread and side of bacon, wrapped in a tea towel. He left behind – his mother, father, a brother and sister. He didn't have many belongings or money. He arrived by ship and landed in New York City, transitioning through Ellis Island. It is unclear when or why, but he then traveled to Poughkeepsie, New York, where he started to work in the coal mines.

John eventually became aware of work in the auto factory, so he made his way to Detroit, Michigan. Delray is a community in Southwest of Detroit and known as colony for Hungarians. It is here where he met his future wife and my mother – Esther Gulyas.

My father went to work at the Highland Park Ford Motor Company. We lived in a Highland Park Four-plex for many years. Before the "Depression," John opened a grocery store and meat market in the City of Detroit, located at the corner of Dearborn and Herkimer. Here, my father built a name for himself as one of the leading butchers in Delray. He would slaughter a pig or cut up a side of beef, like no one else. He became known for creating his own sausage from a family recipe.

My mother was born in Veresegyhaz. Esther, sister Goldie and I all helped on Friday nights – plucking chickens and preparing the casings for homemade sausage. He sold the store and we moved into a home in Lincoln Park. When the 1929 crash and Depression occurred, like many, we lost our home and all of our savings in the bank.

As our lives continued, Dad next rented a house and 20 acres of land outside of Romulus, Michigan, Eureka Road near Huron River Drive. We had no gas, electricity, running water or indoor plumbing. Our meals were cooked on a wood fueled stove. We lived here until approximately 1935.

Dad observed the 20 acres of fertile land next to our home as standing idle. He contacted the landowner, and negotiated a sharecropper type deal – Dad could cultivate the land and the owner would receive vegetables from him all year long. My mother's canning helped in the winter months. We owned a horse that John used for the plowing and cultivating the crops we grew. We all had to help hoe the vegetables. Mother helped this enterprise by raising turkeys, geese, ducks and chickens.

During the Depression we had very little money – but we had an abundance of food. Everyone who came to visit went home with a load of fruits and vegetables – we had many family and relative visitors. Dad's philosophy was to give to others whatever little you may have because everything will come back to you ten-fold in other ways.

We also sold fruits and vegetables on the weekends.

Although John was only 5 feet tall he touched everyone. He was the center of attention especially at weddings and funerals. All the men would gather to hear his stories.

We had great picnics on our farm in those days with friends and relatives coming over all the time.

Sometime before 1935, John was called back to the Ford Motor Company. He began to work all day – come home - a bit too late – then go out into the fields to do us much as he would until dark. After he got on his feet financially – we moved back to the Southwest part of Detroit.

We lived there for a few years – My sister married in this house and I worked as a Nurse Assistant in the Women's Hospital. At this time Physician interns and nurse assistants were required to live separately in a hospital complex.

Late Mom and Dad bought a home and 10 acres of land on Huron Pines Drive. The house was just a shell, but the help of friends Dad finished the inside of the house, installing walls, electricity, gas and indoor plumbing Occasionally John would find "fallen" airplane parts as we were in an airport flight path..

John continued to work Ford as we all kept the farm going. During WWII my mother worked at Ford's Willow Run plant – as a riveter. (During World War II, many women replaced men in the factories. They were affectionately referred to as "Rosie the Riveter," as they contributed to the war efforts).

Before John retired from Ford – he got to know Henry Ford in the early days. Dad was an elevator operator at the office building; and he would bring Hungarian watermelons or other prize fruits and vegetables and give them to Henry Ford. Over the years they exchanged many ideas. Dad retired after 30 years with Ford Motor Company.

Over the years, my father taught Goldie and me a lot about growing fruits and vegetables. He watched him cross-pollinate fruit trees and always tried to improve the quality of his crops. He was locally known for his grape vineyard and the watermelons, unique as they were from seeds brought from Hungary.

Dad was a specialist in picking watermelons. He would go out to the field early in the morning with a paring knife in hand and tapped the melon. He would use this method to determine which ones were ripe and ready for eating. Only he knew the right sound, so every watermelon he picked was ripe and delicious.

John would save the good seeds form all the good fruits and vegetables and kept for the next crop planting season.

An event I like to remember – dad grew the best grapes in the State of Michigan. He made his own wine that was delicious and potent. In his later years he added ginger ale to his wine, in order to lower the alcohol content. My job during the wine making process was to stomp the grapes.

One event I particularly disliked, at the time, but now I wish I had the opportunity to do again was stomping and shredding cabbage in a large barrel, to make our own sauerkraut.

My father scrubbed and checked my feet before entering the barrel for grape or cabbage stomping. He was as meticulous as a doctor scrubbing for surgery.

We had an underground cellar for carrots and potatoes and a smoke house for curing the pork from the pigs my dad slaughtered. All these events were part of our lives, but they certainly added a dimension that today's children no longer enjoy. Today these homemade events are gone and replaced by fast food and prepared foods.

By 1957, Dad and mother moved to California after John became ill with pneumonia. The doctor told him if he remained in Michigan his life expectancy would be shortened. He sold the farm and bought a home in San Bernardino for cash. Initially the bank did not want to accept his cash – but John told them he would go elsewhere – somewhere cash would be accepted. This was a special achievement in those days to be able to pay for a home – cash. He saved and worked hard to achieve this ability.

After several years they sold the San Bernardino home and bought a duplex in Long Beach.

In the 1960s, Dad and mother celebrated their 50th anniversary by getting married in the Catholic Church. Fifty years earlier, the Catholic Church told my mother – she should "marry a decent man." John was ostracized because he was Protestant. The night before their 50th Wedding Anniversary, my father kidded my mother, asking: "Do you want to go through with this ceremony, if you do, from then on you will not be living in sin," as the church implied.

My dad did not do anything spectacular to shape the world – but he learned everything he could about American history and could speak about many controversial subjects – politics, politicians, government, people and human affairs.

He was a Fourth of July – firecracker – born that day – small, but dynamic – a warm, kind and unselfish human being - my dad.

What makes us how we are?

Youth claims so much – living for love and peace. Yet they rebel, demonstrate and riot to be noticed.

We are noticed by what we do with our lives – achieve success or failure. Awareness of the people around us and their needs others can see in how we relate to people and what we are willing to do make others happy. Actions speak louder than words. The acts of kindness and simple deeds bring out the humanitarian qualities we strive to show the world. It is what you do with the knowledge and not how much you know that makes each one of us a special human- being in the eyes of God and man.

The talkers all want many things but they are unwilling to put forth the effort to achieve something better than what they have achieved. Doers use their capabilities and let the world know there is sweat and blood that goes into making a better place. Adding a little sunshine, gratitude and understanding to others lives enhances the world in many ways. We do all this because we are placed here for a purpose. Each of us have our own part to play; and all together we add great deal to make this a better world to live in.

We fulfill our role on this earth by our acts, deeds and relations to others; and this is how we fulfill our promise to God – that we are one of his children.

We cannot live down a great heritage. We have parentage that may or may not enhance much of the way we think, feel or respond to what comes into our lives. Much of our life we try to hide the existence of the heritage, but in our later years we become aware of the great help all this has help to mold us into what we are. Our laughter, our dreams words, and frustration stem from the many facets we have learned from our parents. They gave us something we did not always feel was – what we wanted at the moment. We rebel – want new up-to-date ideas.

The things of the time are so important – then it was – but now it seems irrelevant. We start masking our heritage – today's tempo is what we want. All this shatters as you live and experience many things in life have direct bearing on where we came from – our heritage. This is rich; no one can take it away from you or smash it into pieces. We are a part of our parents and they leave a deep and lasting mark on our way of life – good or bad. Each gives you something and the intelligence we were born with blends to make us what we are filled with – heritage.