Obituary of Bettie Lou Duarard

Bettie Lou Culp was born on December 21, 1928, in Elve, Kentucky. She was one of ten children born to the union of Bennie Gilbert Culp and Elsie Lena (Phelps) Culp. Bettie attended North Marshall High School in Kentucky. 

On May 18, 1946, in Benton, Kentucky, Bettie married the love of her life, Mr James Duarard. The couple was united in holy matrimony by the Rev. B.R. Winchester of the Lone Oak Baptist Church. Bettie and James were blessed with six boys and six daughters. Being a homemaker with twelve children was often a challenge but one she accepted with open arms and smile. She was an amazing wife, mother and grandmother.

Bettie loved to shop, especially driving around looking for the perfect garage sale. She enjoyed watching racehorses and often visited racetracks hoping for her horse to cross the finish line. She looked forward to traveling and was always excited to travel south to Kentucky to visit her siblings.  Bettie moved to Monroe from Belleville, Michigan in 2016 to be closer with her family.

Bettie Lou Duarard, age 95 of Monroe passed away at home peacefully on Sunday; October 20, 2024, surrounded by her loving family and under the care of Heartland Hospice.  Her passing was preceded by her parents: Bennie and Elsie Culp; her loving husband of seventy-one years: James Edward Duarard; three sons: Ricky, Garry and Timmie Duarard; five brothers: Lee, Verde, Paul, Eugene, and Rudy Culp; and two sisters: Mabel Reader and Marjorie Culp.

To cherish Bettie’s memory she leaves six daughters: Janice (Mike) Spooner of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Robin Miller of Onsted, Michigan, Kim (Jeff) Rife of Garden City, Michigan, Tammy Winkoff of Monroe, Michigan, Roxanne (Rod) Crawford of Ypsilanti, Michigan and Tracy (Todd) Rhodes of Livonia, Michigan; three sons: Larry (Valerie) Duarard of Castleberry, Alabama, Anthony (Elaine) Duarard of Lillian, Alabama and Keith (Aleccia) Duarard of LaSalle, Michigan; a daughter in law: Ruth Duarard of Livonia, Michigan; two sisters: Ina (John) Devine of Sharpe, Kentucky, and Annie Norris of Three Oaks, Michigan; two brothers: Raymond (Ellie) Culp and Harlan (Sharon) Culp both of Sharpe, Kentucky; forty-one grandchildren: fifty-four great grandchildren; and eighteen great-great grandchildren.

Private services were held on Tuesday; October 22, 2024, at Merkle Funeral Service, North Monroe; 2442 North Monroe Street, Monroe, Michigan 48162 (734) 384-5185.  A private burial was held at Parkview Cemetery in Livonia, Michigan where she was laid to rest next to her husband: James and son: Garry.

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