Margaret Lynn McCrary Betbeze passed away peacefully at her home in Fairhope on Monday, Aug. 19, 2019. She was 92.
Margaret was born in Jackson, Alabama and grew up in Mobile, Alabama. She graduated from Murphy High School and attended Montevallo College to pursue a degree in music.
Shortly after he returned from the Pacific Theater after WWII, she married William Casimere Betbeze Jr. (Billy). They were married 72 years when he passed away last December.
She and Billy were members of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Mobile for many years, until retirement, when they moved to Orange Beach, where both were very active in Our Lady of the Gulf and St. Thomas by the Sea Catholic Churches.
A gifted musician, Margaret shared her talent by serving as church organist and choir member for over 40 years at all three churches. She continued to play the piano until very recently.
In recent years, Margaret and Billy moved to Fairhope and were members of St. Lawrence Catholic Church. For many years, she and Billy were members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Margaret was a past regent of the Tristan de Luna Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. She was also a member of the Country Club of Mobile.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Ruby (Rodgers) McCrary; and her sister, Mary Ann McCrary Peters.
She is survived by her daughters, Lynn Yankie (Alan) of Orange Beach, Susie Forkum (Don) of Fairhope and Anne Anderson (Craig) of Auburn, Georgia; six grandchildren, Peggy Naughton (David Perryman) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, John Naughton (Monica) of Mobile, Adron Allen Jr. (Nikki) of The Woodlands, Texas, Richard Forkum (Amy) of St. Louis, Missouri, Leigh Creel (Matthew) of Berkeley Lake, Georgia and Erin Anderson of Atlanta, Georgia; seven great-grandchildren, Lexi, Brannon, McCrary and Maggie Naughton, Rex Allen, Ella Forkum and Foster Creel.
The family wishes to thank the kind and loving caregivers of Comfort Keepers of Daphne, especially Natasha, Betty, Tammy, Catherine and Dinah. The family also appreciates the care provided by Nurse Tammy of Kindred At Home Hospice.
Visitation will be held at Wolfe Bayview Funeral Home in Fairhope on Saturday, Aug. 24 from 2-3 p.m., followed immediately by a memorial service at the funeral home.
A private graveside service will be held Monday in the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either the Children's Tumor Foundation or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., 19698 Greeno Road, Fairhope, AL 36532, 251-990-7775, www.wolfefuneralhomes.com.
