Obituary: Betsy Richards Horning

Betsy Richards Horning, 85, of Grand Rapids, Mich. and Boca Grande, passed away peacefully September 30, 2012, surrounded by her family, after a long illness.

She will be greatly missed by her husband, David Horning; children, David Richards (Cissy and Lily), Paul and Susan Richards (Austin and Rob), Barb and Paul Malloure (Emily, David, Greg, and Brian), Mark and Kim Richards (Kirsten, Kyle, and Caden), her daughter, Ann Richards and her brother, Bob Driscal, her husband’s children Dan Horning (Ashley and Jill), Sarah and John Jackoboice, and Susan Elizalde (Mikel and Cecil).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Esther Driscal, her first husband, Bob Richards, and her second husband, Bill Lowry.

Betsy was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Mich., the eldest of two children. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1949, where she also received a masters degree in art education years later.

She married Bob Richards in 1948 and they raised five children in East Grand Rapids.

In the early 70s, Betsy went back to work; first in advertisement, but later as a trust officer at Old Kent Bank and Michigan National Bank.

She was active in community service including; a member on the Women’s Committee of the Grand Rapids Art Museum, on the dean’s advisory committee of the University of Michigan School of Art and Design, and the first woman ever to sit on the board of directors of the Grand Rapids YMCA, where she was a driving force behind the development of their child care center. In 1994 she received the Legacy Award for Outstanding Service to the Grand Rapids Metropolitan YMCA. She was also a founding board member of Founders Bank and Trust.

In 1979, she lost her first husband, Bob Richards and in 1993, her second husband, Bill Lowry.  She kept busy working, volunteering, and keeping an active involvement with all her children and grandchildren. She also played golf, tennis, snow skied, and even fished. In the late 1980s, she moved to Boca Grande for the winter months. She loved the Boca Grande community and was an active member at the Boca Grande Club, the Lemon Bay Golf Club, the Boca Grande Art Alliance, and the Boca Grande Woman’s Club.

In 1998, Betsy married Dr. David Horning. Betsy was a loving and caring wife and mother. She was warm, gracious, friendly, outgoing, had a fun sense of humor, and loved being surrounded by friends and family.  

A celebration of Betsy’s life was held at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan on October 12.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Generations Child Development Center, C/O YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, 475 Lake Michigan Drive NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 or a charity of your of choice.