Shariel Lynn "Shari" Betts

Shari Betts of Cass City, age 67, passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness July 19, 2022 in Cass City. Shari was born December 18, 1954, to the late Gerald and Dorothy (Mihacsi) Dillon and resided in Fairgrove for most of her childhood. She graduated from Akron-Fairgrove High School and was very proud of her Vikings. She married Robert Betts on June 29, 1984 in a simple civil ceremony. Circumstances at that time allowed a two-month honeymoon in the Upper Peninsula. This was the beginning of a life of adventure. Although she didn't quite finish a couple of goals, she visited forty-six states, two countries, and almost every major national park. She was very proud of her snowmobile adventure that took her from DeTour in the UP to Wawa, Ontario and back, a distance of 500 miles through the Canadian wilderness. Shari was very proud of her Harley Davidson motorcycle and her riding skills. At the age of 65 she rode her motorcycle from her home to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, then back home before she left for Seattle, Washington; a distance of seven thousand miles in a matter of a couple of weeks. She outrode hardened bikers. If it weren't for a stupid black bear in Shenandoah National Park, she would have ridden her bike over 60,000 miles without an accident. And she smiled many, many times about her pilgrimage to "Tail of the Dragon" at Deals Gap, North Carolina….. 318 curves in 11 miles. Shari worked for the State of Michigan, much of the time at the Caro Regional Center, and retired the moment she was eligible. She then worked in her husband's law office for several years. As careers wound down and the road beckoned, Shari filled any spare time with reading and gardening. She also got a chance to use her sewing skills which she had learned at the knee of her grandmother. Shari was the oldest of five children. She was the only girl and had four brothers; Dave, Jeff, Kevin, and Rick. She was seven years old when the boys began to arrive and she soon became their second mom and was often the primary caregiver for the boys. The strength of the relationships that developed in that home are evident to this day. As is the flinching of the boys at the sight of a piece of a Hot Wheels Track. With all that testosterone around, it is no surprise then that Shari was a bit of a gear head and a lover of Pontiac GTOs. When her dad wouldn't let her buy one as her first car, she was not to be denied and she proceeded to own four and was very proud that she had done so. We will let the brothers explain the quantity of GTOs she owned. Shari is survived by her husband, Robert; her sons, Matthew and William; her brothers, Dave (Pam) Dillon, Jeff (Sandy) Dillon, Kevin (Sherry) Dillon, and Rick (Nicole) Dillon; many special nephews, Lance, Warren, Stephen, Ryan, Rob, Justin, and Brandon; her one and only niece, Kaelyn Dillon; and a couple special friends, Peggy Trish, Karen Urban, Cindy Partlo, and Jane Stefanski. A small private ceremony celebrating her has been held. In lieu of a monetary donation, do an extra act of kindness for one of your loved ones.