Demetra Joy Lape

Demetra Joy Lape, 69, of St. Joseph, passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, April 22, 2013 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Pastor Jim Whitman officiating. Burial will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens in Coloma. Friends may visit from 2:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. Sunday, April 21, 2013 at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service. Those wishing to share a memory of Demetra online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Demetra was born November 17, 1943 in Caruthersville, MO to Otto & Reba (Cantrell) Beal. She graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1962. On August 18, 1962 she married Raleigh David Lape in Benton Harbor. Demetra worked for Heath/Zenith for 18 years. In her spare time she enjoyed gardening, playing dominoes, and feeding the humming birds. Most of all she loved spending time with her family especially her grandchildren. Demetra is survived by her husband David Lape of St. Joseph; son Harvey “Dave” Lape of St. Joseph; daughter Debbie (Dan) Teeters of Hartford; five grandchildren Amy (Jason) Finley, Daniel (Brittany) Holland, Amber Lape, Ryan Teeters, and Jon Teeters; one great-granddaughter Cessie Finley; and three sisters Juanita (Richard) Branch, Dot (Don) McClellan and Carol Ballard. Demetra was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, a brother and grandchild Danny Teeters II.