Betty Ann Marshall

Betty Ann Marshall (nee Paquin) of Grafton, WI passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 1, 2023. She loved Jesus and is surely celebrating in heaven with Him and the friends and relatives that went before her. She was loved by anyone she met. There are so many things that we will miss about her. Her laughter. Her generosity. Her love of family and desire to stay connected. She was the glue that held us all together. It is difficult to sum up her life in a few short words.

Betty was born May 24, 1945, in St. Ignace, Michigan to Cornelia “Theresa” Paquin (nee Carson) and Alexander Paquin. She was the seventh of eight children. She had five brothers Floyd (Catherine) Paquin, Tom (Sally) Paquin, Ronald (Molly) Paquin, Donald Paquin, and Leonard Paquin, and two sisters Donna (Donald) Corp, and Virginia “Geri” (Charles) Huyck. She also grew up very close to her cousin Maryann Marshall (nee Hartwick).

Growing up in the U.P., in the 1940s and 50s, as a Native American had its challenges, but she was proud of her indigenous heritage. She was part of the Eagle Clan (though some say Pelican). She was a member of the Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and was given the name “Sunshine Woman” later in life.

She was a young bride of 17 when she married David Burton Marshall, also of St. Ignace, in 1962. The next year (1963) she became the first in her immediate family to graduate from La Salle High School in St. Ignace. After their marriage, David was deployed with the Air Force. Betty and her cousin Maryann (now sister-in-law) lived together with their mother-in-law for a bit. Once David was out of the service, they moved to Minneapolis where they had two daughters: Alexis Prag and Melissa (Keith) Wilde. By the early 1970s, they had moved to the Detroit area and had their last child, David (Kelly) Marshall Jr. in 1972.

In 1974 they relocated for the last time and settled in Grafton, Wisconsin where Betty was an at-home mom, supported her husband in starting a company, and did a lot of volunteer work. She became an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish in Grafton. She was a member of the Grafton Junior Women’s Club and loved helping to put together the annual Poor Man’s Art Fair. She also was an involved Brownie and Girl Scout Leader.

After her divorce in 1980, she went back to school and earned a Social Work Degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College. She also went on to study Indian History and Culture at UW Milwaukee. She dedicated that period of her life to helping others. She volunteered as a social worker at Advocates of Ozaukee. She ran support groups and did other duties at the Battered Women’s shelter to help physically and/or sexually abused women and children. She also became a board member of WACOA (Wisconsin Adult Children of Alcoholics) where she was invested in helping adults to get beyond the difficulties of growing up in an alcoholic household because she had experienced that herself.

In 1987, Betty became a grandma for the first time. That began the next very important phase of her life. She was an active and devoted grandma. She even had a plaque in her kitchen that said to call 1-800-GRANDMA whenever needed. She had seven grandchildren and two step-grandchildren: Ben, Abbe, Nathan, Anna, Jessica, Ryan, Jonathan, Joshua, and Dawson. She also had one great-granddaughter and three step-great-grandchildren: Kinsley Rose, Daniel, Jax, and Waylon. When not helping with or hanging out with grandchildren, Betty loved to be with her friends going out to eat, seeing shows, traveling…anything.

The next phase of her life was when dementia and other illnesses started to take hold of her. It was a gradual decline, and she became less and less physically active. She still loved having family over though. And kept in touch with friends and relatives by phone. She was on her phone almost 24-7 with whoever happened to be home. And she’d keep everyone connected by updating one relative about another relative and asking for prayer for any of their concerns. She never got beyond a flip phone, so she’d always ask if her children had seen anything on Facebook about anyone and wanted to be kept in the loop. From her condo in Grafton, she was in the know!

The last few years were the last phase of Betty’s life. It was time for her family to love on and take care of her, as she so lovingly cared for them. In March 2020, she went to live in assisted living. Because of COVID-19 shutdowns, she could only get visitors by her window for well over a year. It was difficult, but she still had her phone to keep in touch with the outside world. As time passed, she wasn’t quite her sweet self anymore and she gave the staff and her family a run for their money. During her last visit to the ER, the nurses affectionately called her their “spicy nugget”. Thankfully, she was as sweet as she was feisty, and she made friends wherever she went with both the other residents and the staff. Her wacky sense of humor got her through, as well. Her laugh was hearty and contagious.

Betty transitioned to a few different assisted living communities as her dementia worsened. Many thanks go out to the staff at McKinley Place in Cedarburg, Azura Memory Care in Fox Point, and Matterhaus Memory Care at the Gables in Germantown. Also, thanks to the staff at Froedtert Menomonee Falls, where she spent her final week. They were compassionate and caring to both Betty and the family.

Betty will be remembered for many things, but the most important is the love she had for and shared with her family and friends. There is sadness, but also peace. Betty is no longer captive to dementia or the other diseases that plagued her body and mind.

Betty is survived by brothers Ronald (Molly) Paquin, and Leonard Paquin, as well as her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many friends.

Betty’s Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Alliance Bible Church in Mequon, Wisconsin. Visitation will be from 11:00 am – 1:00pm. Celebration Service at 1:00 pm and a luncheon in the Fellowship Hall afterward.

Any donations in her honor can go to Advocates of Ozaukee or the Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.