Elizabeth Catherine Gariti

Elizabeth Catherine Coady Gariti (aka ""Liz"" and ""Bette"") aged 79, passed away in Broomfield, CO on Friday, March 20, 2015, after a year-long battle with complications of a stroke. Liz was born in Chicago, one of six children of the late John Thomas Coady and Maxine Coady Walsh. She is a graduate of Longwood Academy, Chicago, and Marquette University, Milwaukee, where she majored in speech and drama and performed and danced in many plays and musicals. It is also where she met her husband of 57 years, Peter James Gariti. They settled in Chicago and she became an English teacher, drama coach, and choreographer, directing plays and musicals in area high schools. In 1960, Peter joined General Electric in Ithaca, NY, and they were subsequently transferred to Utica, NY, Louisville, KY, Doylestown, PA, Mendham NJ, and Williamsburg, VA. They lived there more than 30 years, and then moved almost three years ago to Broomfield to be near their daughter Mindy and family. In Williamsburg, Liz was an historical interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg for 25 years, taking thousands of school children and families on tours of the historic area and of Jamestown and Yorktown, VA. Liz is pre-deceased by brothers Jack and William and sister Merrilee Wilson, and is survived by husband Peter; daughters Elizabeth Ann Gariti and Melinda Alice Gariti Sanko; son-in-law John Sanko; granddaughter Katie Sanko; sister Shirley Coady Van Henkelum; brother Robert Coady; along with a multitude of sisters-and-brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews. Liz's greatest pleasures were history, reading books and working crossword puzzles. She was a warm, kind, fiercely intelligent and funny person who treated everyone she met with dignity. A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor at 5:00p.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at the Chateaux, 13600 Xavier Lane, Broomfield, CO 89023, phone 720-982-6025. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: LizGaritiCWDonation Please share memories of Elizabeth and condolences with her family by leaving a message in the guestbook.