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BETTY LOU MCPHERSON

Betty Lou (Summerfield) McPherson, 81, passed this life Jan. 22, 2017, to be with her Lord and Savior.

Betty was born May 15, 1935, to Merton Chester Summerfield and Dorothy Caroline (Parth) Summerfield in Flint, Mich. Betty married Walter James McPherson on Jan. 3, 1957, and together they had six children. Walter passed away June 12, 2003.

Betty was an accomplished musician who played accordion, piano, organ, banjo and guitar. She taught at the Honolulu Conservatory of Music in Flint as well as worked at Smith Bridgeman Department Store and in later years taught at Deadman’s Music Store in Alpena. She led a variety of bands around the Flint area, including “Betty & Her Buckaroos” focusing on country western music. They were regulars at the local radio station, as well as weddings, dance halls, hospitals, charity benefits, and Whiting Auditorium where they opened for greats like Ernest Tubb and Little Jimmy Dickins.

Surviving are her children Tina (Richard) Boven of Alpena, Cindy Niedzwiecki (Larry Frost) of Alpena, Michael (Carla) McPherson of Pinehurst, Texas; 15 grandchildren, Ben (Becky) Boven of Houston, Texas, Rick Boven and Sarah Pierpont of Beacon, N.Y., Patrick (Kate) Niedzwiecki of Hamlet, N.C., Bradley (Maria) Niedzwiecki of Barton City, Joshua (Jess) Niedzwiecki of Alpena, twins Sirena and Sierra McPherson, both of Alpena, Lisa Young-Phillips of Houston, Texas, Matthew and Joseph McPherson of California; great grandchildren Elijah Boven, Lilly Niedzwiecki, Nolan Niedzwiecki, Jackson O’Neil Niedzwiecki, Bailey Young-McPherson, and Phoebe Young Howard; brothers, William Summerfield of Davison, Robert (Sharon) Summerfield of Lancaster, Calilf., and Ronald (Joan) Summerfield of Mt. Morris.

Mrs. McPherson was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Walter; sons, Jeffrey James, Boyd Timothy, Wallace McPherson; stepson, James McPherson; brother, Thomas Lee Summerfield; and sister-in-law, Sonya Summerfield.

Memorial visitation will take place at the Bannan Funeral Home on Wednesday from 11 a.m. until time of the memorial service at 1 p.m. with Rev. James Erickson officiating.

Interment: Evergreen Cemetery

Memorials: Salvation Army or Hospice of the Sunrise Shore