Riley 1950 Betty Jane (Kolecki) Mersich

Oct. 23, 1932 - Sept. 26, 2016

SOUTH BEND - Betty Jane (Kolecki) Mersich, 83, of South Bend Indiana passed into eternal life on Monday, September 26th at the Center for Hospice's Hospice House surrounded by her family following a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Funeral arrangements that honor her life will be handled by Hanley and Sons Funeral Home “Southwest Chapel” located at 23241 State Road 23, near the corner of Ireland and Mayflower Roads in South Bend Indiana. Visitation is scheduled from 4:00-8:00 on Thursday, September 29th. A memorial mass will be held at St. Mary's National Catholic Church at 1601 W. Sample Street at 10:00 on Friday, September 30th with her Pastor Reverend Charles Zawistowski officiating.

She is survived by her daughter, Micki (Mersich) Webb, sons Marty (and Olga) Mersich, Marc (and Kristin) Mersich, and Michael J. Mersich; grandchildren Aaron Mersich, Bobby (and Alie) Webb, Danielle Webb, and Connor Knox; Great-granddaughters, Piper Webb, Bennington Webb, Finley Webb, and Penelope Webb as well as a multitude of nieces and nephews from the Kolecki and Mersich families.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph F. Kolecki and Victoria “Dora” (Rybicki) Kolecki, her sister, Evelyn Kolecki, her brothers, Daniel and Richard Kolecki and her former husband, Martin E. Mersich. Also predeceasing her were special friends, John and Jackie Kosanovich, Angie Switalski, as well as her fur babies, Baby, Baron, and Sabre.

Betty graduated from Riley High School, and worked in the clerical field as a bookkeeper and in records management, retiring from the South Bend Police Department Records Division. Her greatest vocation however was that of a single mother who left her legacy by creating a home filled with love, faith, values, determination, and strong work ethic, as well as family and friends who cherished her. Deeply loved as “Nannie” by her grandchildren, she is fondly remembered for “telling it like it is”, a self- proclaimed “mean right hook” and also for making them langalo from a special family recipe.

Gracious, humble, and kind, Betty shared everything she had with others. Her home was a refuge and she unofficially fostered young people who needed a place to stay, and had the talent to stretch a simple meal into a feast that would feed a multitude. Betty enjoyed attending her sons' and grandsons' sporting events, her granddaughter's theatrical performances as well as cooking, reading, yard sales, playing, cards, her flower garden, volunteering at church, a personal greeting card ministry, Notre Dame and Bears Football, and reminiscing about family vacations.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's National Catholic Church, 1601 W. Sample Street, South Bend IN 46619, Pet Refuge, 4626 Burnett Drive, South Bend, IN 46614, Center for Hospice's Hospice House, 501 Comfort Place, Mishawaka, IN 46545 or Riley Children's Hospital, 50 South Meridian Street, Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204-3540. The family is forever thankful for the exemplary medical support of Hospice House, the River Bend Cancer Center, Beacon Hospital Staff, particularly Home Health Nurse, Fern, as well as Dr. Ivan Bedoya, and Dr. N. Kerr.

The HANLEY and Sons Funeral Home handled arrangements and extends its deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers to Betty's family.

Condolences may be expressed online through our website: www.hanleyandsonsfuneralhomes.com

Funeral Home

Hanley and Sons - South Bend

23421 State Road 23

South Bend, IN 46614

(574) 287-4181 Funeral Home Details

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Published in South Bend Tribune on Sept. 28, 2016

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