Betty Ribesky-Johnson

Betty Ribesky Johnson treasured every moment, especially those spent in the company of her family and friends. They were the people who she taught, the people who she learned from, and above all else, the people who brought her life immeasurable joy. Though the Great Depression hit many families hard during the 1930s, Bud and Florence (Meyer) Cashbaugh of Muskegon, Michigan were blessed with many gifts. Among them was their beautiful daughter, Betty June, who was born on June 1, 1933. She was later joined by her three younger siblings: Buddy, Bruce and Bonnie, who rounded out the Cashbaugh household. Betty enjoyed a pretty typical childhood, growing up in Lakeside, a bustling suburb of Muskegon. At a young age, she learned to play the piano and organ, something she enjoyed all her life. Her father provided for their family working at Lakey Foundry, while her mother was a wonderful homemaker. Betty received her education in the area elementary school as well as at Bunker Middle School and Muskegon High. After graduating high school, Betty became employed as a bank teller in town. Like many teenagers of this time, Betty was a big fan of Big Band music. It happened that Betty was on a date attending a Big Band concert at the Fruitport Pavilion when she first met John Ribesky, who was also there on a date. John had just gotten out of the service and was working at a meat store in Muskegon. As fate would have it, John and Betty soon began dating, fell hopelessly in love and were happily married on October 16, 1954, at St. Francis Catholic Church. Over the next several years, the couple filled their hearts and home with the joy and laughter of six wonderful children: Kathy, Pat, John, Michele, Mike and Joe. They raised their family in the Lakeside neighborhood, first in a home on Crozier Avenue, and later in a bigger house on Bourdon. As a family, they also attended St. Francis Catholic Church, where Betty and John were married. Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Betty worked part-time as a Bookkeeper for various businesses around town. She was also very skilled at furniture upholstery and did some work out of her home, as well as caught upholstery classes for the Community Education Program. In later years, when her children were older (because as they jokingly say, they never really grew up), Betty sold real estate for a time for Crystal Anderson Realty, though she continued her work as a bookkeeper too. When it came to leisure time, Betty and John enjoyed golfing together. They belonged to the Elks Country Club, where they played on a couples league and Betty on the ladies league. They also enjoyed taking golf trips with their friends from the Vikings and the Elks. Another of Bettys favorite pastimes was bowling, and over the years, she bowled on several leagues and participated in many tournaments, which led to many fun trips all over the country for the entire family. She and John were also avid Big Red Football fans and followed the team faithfully through the years. Time together as a family was always important to Betty and John, and they took every opportunity to get away and relax. Every summer they took a 2-week family camping trip, complete with a pop-up camper and tents, to campgrounds all over Michigan, as well as out east, in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Betty also had an aunt who had a cottage on Big Blue Lake, just north of Muskegon, where the Ribeskys spent many fun times together in the summer. Betty especially loved fishing, but was known to swim all the way across the Lake a time or two. In later years, Betty found the greatest joy simply being a doting grandmother to her precious grandchildren, spoiling them whenever possible. Although Bettys life was happy, it was marked with sorrow. Betty lost her beloved husband John in 1990, after a 6-month battle with brain cancer. They were married for 36 wonderful years. After some time, Betty found love again when she started dating Joseph Johnson, the owner of Johnson Construction where she was working as a bookkeeper. After dating for a few years, they were married in August 1995. Together, they attended the Central Assembly of God Church, wintered in sunny Kissimmee, Florida, and since Joe liked to hunt, Betty was willing to try something new and tagged along. Nothing made them happier, however, than spending time with their children and grandchildren, who they loved dearly. Sadly, Joe was later diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a degenerative disease of the brain, and Betty tenderly cared for him until his death in 2003. Betty lived on her own for a time, but after experiencing health problems, which resulted in 2 knee surgeries and dialysis because of her diabetes, she went to live with her son, John, and his family. Betty died on Monday, February 9, 2009, at the age of 75. A loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Betty will be deeply missed and remembered forever. Betty is survived by her sons: John (Kelly) Ribesky, Mike (Beth) Ribesky, Joe (Beth) Ribesky, all of Muskegon; daughters: Kathy (Mike) Balkema, Pat (Tom Lucken) Ernvall both of Muskegon, Michele (Leland) Melear of Blue Lake; 12 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild; brothers, Buddy Cashbaugh, Bruce (Rehn) Cashbaugh, both of Muskegon; several stepchildren, nieces & nephews; her beloved dog, Rags. She was preceded in death by her husbands, John Ribesky & Joseph Johnson, and her sister Bonnie. Services will be held on Thursday, February 12, at 8:00 p.m. in the Clock Chapel at Clock Life Story Funeral Home Muskegon, with Rev. Bob White officiating. Friends may visit with Bettys family on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Harbor Hospice. Please visit Bettys memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may sign her online guest book or share a memory/thought with her family.