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In Memory

Elizabeth Elsby Solbrig (Spaid) - Class Of 1950 VIEW PROFILE

Elizabeth Elsby Solbrig (Spaid)

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Elsby Spaid

Mar. 30, 1932 - Dec. 29, 2017

Spaid, Richard and Elizabeth Ann Arbor With great sadness, we inform all our friends, that Elizabeth ("Betty") Spaid and Richard ("Dick") Spaid - wife and husband for sixty-two and a half years - passed peacefully within 36 hours of each other on Thursday, December 28th, 2017 and Friday, December 29th, 2017.

Betty and Dick are survived by their children John (Christine), Laura (Doug Mehl) and Jennifer (Joe); their grandchildren Katelynn, Greer, Patrick, Travis, Chandler, Sarah, Kimberly, Colin, and Brynne.

Dick was born February 24th, 1930 and Betty was born March 30th, 1932. Although they would grow up in separate states and not meet until college, they were both coincidentally born in the same South Bend, Indiana hospital. A fact that lovingly extols their destined long life together.

Preceding Betty are her parents Maude and Hardin Solbrig and her older brother Charles Solbrig. Preceding Dick are his parents Gwendolyn and Orieon Spaid, and his brother Don Spaid.

After graduating high school in South Bend, Betty attended Purdue where she met her future husband, Dick Spaid. While at Purdue, Betty was active in her sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma. After graduation, Betty taught school in South Chicago, IL and Boston, MA, which she found rewarding. Soon after Dick's discharge from the Air Force, Betty and Dick began their sixty-two year marriage moving together around the United States as they pursued educational and career opportunities for Dick, and raised their three children.

After relocating six times to six states, Betty and Dick eventually settled in Ann Arbor, MI in 1972, where they remained until their passing. Dick grew up in West Orange, New Jersey and was an honored football and swimming athlete from West Orange High School. Dick attended Purdue on a swimming scholarship, where he pledged Phi Kappa Tau, graduated with a mechanical engineering degree, and met his future wife, Betty Solbrig.

After graduation, Dick joined the Air Force where he investigated accidents and worked on advanced aircraft controls. After his honorable discharge, Dick attended Harvard University where he obtained his MBA. Dick's career led to greater executive roles at Whirlpool, Parker Hannifin, and American Standard before he began pursuing private equity backed industrial ventures on his own until his retirement.

Betty and Dick loved Ann Arbor and the wonderful friends that they made which reflected the cultural and intellectual diversity that is unique to Ann Arbor. Despite both graduating from Purdue, Betty and Dick became loyal Michigan Wolverine supporters, and regularly enjoyed Saturday tail-gates before each Michigan football game.

Throughout Betty's life, Betty enjoyed philanthropic activities and was a life-long tennis player. Dick's love of swimming continued through-out his life and he would regularly enjoy swimming in Michigan's Matt Mann and Canham natatoriums with his many avid Ann Arbor swimming friends.

 

04/17/2021 DEC

Findagrave.com



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