Elizabeth "Betty" Bernott

LIFESTORY:

With a smile that could brighten up the darkest of days, Elizabeth “Betty” Bernott was an extraordinary woman who lived her life to love others. No matter where she was, it was impossible not to see the beauty that emanated from her every fiber as an outpouring of the Catholic faith that was such a cornerstone throughout her entire life. Betty touched the hearts and lives of not only the family she adored, but also so many within her community through the business she and her husband operated for 35 years. She was dedicated to caring for her children and grandchildren who have now become her greatest legacy.

The year 1919 is often remembered as a significant year because it was the year in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed which was the official conclusion to WWI. It was also a significant year in the family of Peter and Eva (Zenkus) Gavelis as they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth, on August 11th in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth was the youngest of three girls in her family and her father worked as a coal miner while her mother was a homemaker. The Gavelis family was devout in their Catholic faith and attended mass together each Sunday. Elizabeth attended local schools and graduated from high school in 1937.

Following high school, Elizabeth, who was most often called Betty, took the civil service exam, secured a job, and was assigned as a secretary to an Army officer in Washington, D.C. Betty’s parents were both Lithuanian and Betty embraced that culture. While attending a Lithuanian celebration in Washington, D.C. at one of the local Catholic churches, Betty was spotted by a young man. His name was Vince Bernott and he was captivated by the beauty who was standing on the steps of the church in a wide brimmed hat. He approached the young Betty, began to speak to her and with that, their love story had begun. What began as love at first sight blossomed into true love and after dating for a time, Betty and Vince were married at her home parish in Scranton on April 24, 1945.

After sharing a honeymoon in Niagara Falls, the newlyweds settled into an apartment in Washington, D.C. for five years. It was there that they welcomed the birth of their first child, Eileen, on their wedding anniversary in 1946. They also welcomed 2 sons, Bob and Tom while in Washington D.C. In 1951, Vince was in need of surgery to address medical concerns so the young family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved in with Vince’s parents where they remained for a few years. They later moved to an apartment on Lexington NW where they welcomed one more child; Carl. Betty and Vince raised their children to embrace the Catholic faith they treasured and they attended Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church together every Sunday and also on holy days. Their family later moved to a home on Lake Michigan Drive NW and became members of St. James Catholic Church.

It was easy to see that Betty considered it pure joy to care for her husband and children. She was active in the lives of her children and she also created a home that was a place where love was plentiful. Betty loved cooking for her family and was most famous for many traditional Lithuanian dishes including Kugelis (a potato loaf dish), and also potato soup, but her cheesecake, meatloaf, pork steak, and cabbage soup were also among the family favorites. Sunday evenings were always reserved for root beer floats and popcorn shared while the family gathered to enjoy the Disney movie on television.

A significant part of Betty’s life was the store that she and Vince ran together for 35 years. It began as Bernott Jewelry on Plainfield Avenue where Vince was a watchmaker. Their business later came to include selling Catholic religious supplies at which time their store became Bernott Religious Supply and Jewelry. At this point Betty handled the customers who came into the store and her responsibilities grew. Although their business moved around a bit over the years, Betty and Vince always worked side by side and they often referred to their business as their “labor of love.” The store actually became a family affair as the children often did their homework there after school, and helped out when needed. When the children got older, they were left in charge while Betty and Vince attended religious supply conventions all over the country.

Although caring for her family and the store occupied much of Betty’s time, she did enjoy some additional interests. Their long standing family membership at The Elks Country Club became their social life. Betty truly enjoyed both golfing and bowling and did so for many years. When watching television, she enjoyed Jeopardy, The Price is Right, and the Tonight Show.

Life greatly changed for Betty and Vince when they closed their store in 1985. They purchased a townhouse in Tucson, Arizona where they spent the following 20 winters with their children visiting them there as often as they could. Betty was diagnosed with diabetes late in life, which eventually forced them to sell their Arizona home and remain in Grand Rapids for the remainder of her life. Although at times Betty lived her life in pain throughout the past few years, she always made it a point to remain active in the lives of her children and grandchildren.

Elizabeth “Betty” Bernott was a woman whom everyone seemed to know. Perhaps it was her smile or her sense of humor, but her kind and compassionate spirit which touched everyone within her reach whether her family, her friends, or each and every customer who came in their store was certainly unmatched. Although Betty was afflicted with health challenges throughout her life, she rarely let the manifestations of these issues affect her life – and never complained about the pain she lived in either. She was blessed to share her days with the love of her life and the generations who sprang forth from their love story were her greatest joy. Although Betty’s family members now say goodbye, they will forever treasure the moments they were given to share with their beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. She will be dearly missed.

Elizabeth “Betty” Bernott died on Nov. 18. Betty’s family includes her husband Vince; her children, Eileen (Stuart) Jacobs, Bob (Barb) Bernott, Tom (Terri) Bernott, Carl (Jill) Bernott; and seven grandchildren, Matthew, Michael, Aaron, Elizabeth (Allen) Lenartz, Jenna, Kelli, and Lauren; as well as her brothers in law, sisters in law, and many nieces and nephews. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Helen Maguire and Ann Sarelakos, and grandchild Paul Bernott. Visit with Betty’s family and friends at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut – Grand Rapids, MI, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW on Friday, Nov 20 from 2-4 and 7-9 with a scriptural rosary at 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 10:00 a.m., at St. James Catholic Church, 733 Bridge St. NW with her brother-in-law, Fr. Ernest Bernott as celebrant. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to The Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family.