Elizabeth Priest

Elizabeth A. Priest

RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. - August 5, 2007 - Elizabeth Antoinette Bogedin Szachta Reid Priest, age 67, of Rutherfordton, N.C., formerly of Fort Pierce, FL and also formerly of Detroit, Traverse City and Central Lake, passed away Aug. 5, 2007 at the Rutherfordton Hospice House after a hard, but graceful year long cancer illness. She was with her family in her final days, hours and minutes. Elizabeth, known to her early friends and family as "Betty" and later known as "Liz," was born December 1, 1939 in Detroit, Mich., to the late Edward Leonard and Elizabeth Frances (Olsten) Bogedin. She is survived by an older brother, Robert Bogedin. Another brother, Donald Bogedin, predeceased Liz at a young age. As a young woman, Liz worked at the Detroit Metropolitan Museum of Art as a stenographer. She married Lawrence John Szachta on June 30, 1962. They made their home in Detroit, MI and later moved to Traverse City, MI with their three children, Daniel Lawrence Reid (born 1964), Sarah Theresa Reid Ziomek (born 1968) and Mark Christopher Reid (born Christmas Day, 1970). Larry and Liz divorced and Liz later remarried Gordon F. Priest in 1975 in Traverse City, MI. In 1979, they moved to Central Lake, MI, where Liz's three children graduated from Central Lake High School. Before her marriage to Gordon, as a single mother, Liz began her studies to become a Registered Nurse. She obtained her Nursing Degree, with honors, from Northwestern Michigan College in Aug. 1976. Her nursing career, which began at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, MI, continued for over 25 years and included working at the Charlevoix Area Hospital in Michigan, Sea Pines, Florida Hospital and, finally, Health South Rehab in Vero Beach, before retiring in 2002 with a grand retirement party. In 1989, after her youngest son, Mark, graduated from high school, Liz and her daughter, Sarah, moved together to Rockledge, FL. Liz and Sarah were roommates and it was during this time that Liz met her current husband, Charles. They married in 1992 and recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary shortly before Liz's death. Unable to sit still after retiring from nursing, Liz volunteered with the St. Lucie County Humane Society and St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity. Throughout her nursing career and into retirement, Liz was always selflessly helping others in need. That devotion never ended and was an integral part of her being. She cared strongly for Habitat for Humanity and its beliefs and developed life long friendships with her co-workers there. While at Habitat, Liz organized a number of charity and fund raising events including art auctions and golf tournaments. She also worked with contractors and volunteers in getting homes built, as well as meeting with families to determine their eligibility for a Habitat home. Some of Liz's most treasured moments were those times she spent with her family. She loved and was very proud of her three children (a professional chef and two lawyers), grandchildren and grandpuppies. She was the most caring, involved and selfless mother anyone could have. She also was involved in the lives of her husband Charles' family. She enjoyed traveling, fine dining, movies, the arts, including paintings, music, literature, Broadway plays and operas, family gatherings, pool time, grilling on the patio, Christmas gatherings with the entire family (especially when the games of Balderdash and Cranium were pulled out) and laughing out loud. Sometimes we'd all laugh together at family jokes until tears were streaming down our eyes. She had the best laugh any mother could have. She also enjoyed the ocean, the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where she and Charles lived with daughter, Sarah and her husband Paul, the last 10 months of her life. Liz loved to visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, take long rides along the Blue Ridge Parkway and go shopping in Boone and Black Mountain. She also enjoyed sitting on the front porch of her North Carolina home, looking at the mountains off in the distance and enjoying a hot cup of strong coffee. Liz is survived by her husband, Charles Fulks, Jr.; her three children, Daniel Lawrence (Dawn) Reid of Tallahassee, FL, Sarah Theresa (Paul) Reid Ziomek of Rutherfordton, N.C. and Mark Christopher (Alicia) Reid of Jacksonville, FL; her grandchildren, Alyssa, Gordon, Amelia and one on the way; and her brother, Robert Bogedin. Liz was preceded in death by her former husband, Gordon F. Priest; her parents, Edward Leonard and Elizabeth Frances Bogedin; and her brother, Donald Bogedin. Visitation will take place FRIDAY, Aug. 10, 2007 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Strunk Funeral Home, 916 17th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960: http://strunkfuneralhome.com.

A memorial to celebrate Liz's life will take place SATURDAY, Aug. 11, 2007 at 2:00p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, 1590 27th Avenue, "The Emerson Center," Vero Beach, FL 32960: www.uufvb.com. A reception will follow the memorial at the UU church.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in the name of Elizabeth A. Priest to: St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, 4150 Okeechobee Road, Suite G, Fort Pierce, FL 34947: www.stluciehabitat.org.

You can also visit and share memories at a website set up for Liz by typing in her name "lizpriest" at: www.caringbridge.org.