Betty Jo Marek

Betty Jo Marek, 70, of Great Barrington, MA passed away at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA on August 15, 2025.

Born on September 30, 1954 in Winchester, CT, Betty Jo was the youngest of seven children born to Beatrice Bird-Marek and Joseph Micheal Marek who worked as a Tool & Die Maker at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT.

Betty Jo was the embodiment of love, kindness, courage, and human decency.

Seeing beauty and grace in all things, she had her mother’s gift for finding four leaf clovers — even five and six leaf clovers!

She was deeply religious, a First Congregationalist, who was passionate about her family, her friends, her life, and making life better for all those around her, especially her pets, including her house bunnies Bubba, Binky, Zoey, Juliet, and Jack and her birds, most notably her African Grey Parrot named Alex whom soon after he emerged from his shell, she nursed from near death back to life, revealing in that small miracle the power of Betty Jo’s love.

Betty Jo is survived by her life partner, Nicholas Sotis; her elder sister, Evelyn Marek-Parker; Betty Jo’s two children, Kelly Wilcox-Wigginton and John Milkowski. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Heaven Leigh Wilcox, Charlie Paulson, Jessi-Ann Paulson, Destiney Rose Fee, and Joseph Micheal Milkowski, along with her five great-grandchildren, Nevaeh Grace Wilcox, Lilah Nieves, Clayton James Lapointe, Dimitri Stiles Montanez, and Sebastian Leonel Montanez.

Betty Jo’s best friend in life, Carol Passini, of New Hartford, CT, deserves special mention, as does Betty Jo’s dear friend, Harold Drabkin, whom Betty Jo has held close to her heart since they first met as children back in 1965.

Services - A service celebrating the life of Betty Jo Marek for close family members and friends will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at The First Congregational Church, 251 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA; there will be calling hours from 9:30 until the time of the service at the church. Burial will immediately follow the service at Elmwood Cemetery, 90 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Save The Children c/o Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230 or online at savethechildren.org. To send remembrances to the family go to finnertyandstevens.com