Betty Almburg

Betty Ann Almburg, age 83, died on February 11, 2010 at home in Livonia, Michigan. She is survived by 3 children and 2 grandchildren: Scott Almburg of Redford, Michigan; Tim Almburg and wife Darlene of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Beth Almburg Delaney and her husband Stuart and their children Sean and Cara, of Plymouth, Michigan. She was preceded in death by her parents Edward and Ella, her loving husband Paul, and son Jeffrey. Betty was born on August 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, daughter of Edward Tuttle and Ella Stomberg. Edward was employed by the Western Electric Company, and Ella, a first generation Swedish-American, was a stenographer for the Tabulating Machine Company, now the IBM Corporation. Their large extended family resided on the north side of Chicago in the Ravenswood neighborhood, where Betty enjoyed close relationships with her six aunts and twelve cousins. She was proud of her Chicago roots and Swedish Heritage. She attended Amundsen High School in Chicago, where she was active in many high school groups, and graduated in 1944. After high school, she attended Wright Junior college in Chicago and pledged a sorority at Northwestern University. She met her future husband at a Northwestern University Fraternity tea, and they were married in 1950. After having two sons in Chicago, the family moved to Los Angeles in 1955 where her husband took on a new position with the Burroughs Corporation selling business computers. A third son was born in California. In 1959, the family moved to Birmingham, Michigan and then settled in Livonia, Michigan where they bought their first house and welcomed a daughter. Betty and her husband became members at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Livonia, where she remained active for almost 50 years. Betty was a Deacon and taught Sunday school for a number of years. After raising 4 children through high school, Betty returned to school herself, and was awarded a BA degree in Education from Madonna University in 1977. She traveled some in her later years, tracing her ancestral roots in Sweden and also visiting Denmark, Norway, England, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Bermuda. Her greatest joy was helping others: supporting her husband, children and grandchildren in their activities, helping friends and doing volunteer work. Her volunteer work included 18 years at the Open Door Ministry at Fort Street Presbyterian serving meals to Detroit's hungry and transcribing text into Braille. She had many interests, including playing bridge, knitting, gardening, reading and listening to music. She was pragmatic, possessing an altruistic spirit and will be deeply missed by friends, neighbors and family. Visitation on Saturday, February 20th from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. In State on Sunday, February 21st at 2 p.m. until the time of Services, 3 p.m. at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church located in Livonia at 27475 5 Mile Road. Memorials are suggested to the Open Door (a program run by Fort Street Presbyterian Church to feed and care for Detroit's homeless): OPEN DOOR, c/o Fort Street Presbyterian Church 631 W. Fort Street Detroit, MI 48226 or to St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. Please share a memory or thought.