Elizabeth Koehler Scheps

Elizabeth "Bette Ann" (Koehler) Scheps

Elizabeth "Bette Ann" (Koehler) Scheps, 67, of Naples, Florida, passed away on Tuesday, August 25, 2009.

She is formerly of Barboursville, Virginia, and Bergen County, New Jersey. Beloved wife of Frederic B. Scheps. Loving sister of Barbara Finley and her husband, Michael, of Brooksville, Florida, and Deborah Bucher and her husband, Larry, of Cranston, Rhode Island. Beloved aunt of Tyler Finley, Lauren and Chase Bucher, Paul Ragusa and Christine DeLuca. Sister in-law of Carol and John Kilkeary of Park Ridge, New Jersey. Bette was the eldest daughter of the late William and Lillian Koehler.

Bette grew up in Hudson County, New Jersey, and graduated from Memorial High School in West New York, New Jersey.

After working for an architectural firm in New York City, Bette actively pursued her love of interiors and architecture, attending and graduating from the New York School of Interior Design. She traveled through 10 European countries during her young adult life, which influenced her passion for design. Following a successful career working for several retailers, Bette and a partner founded Inspired Mansions of Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Bette later began Bette Scheps Interiors. Fitting naturally with interiors, Bette also held New Jersey and Virginia real estate licenses. She was known for her love of fine art and antiques, beautiful home furnishings, and animals of all sorts. She owned and adored dogs, cats, birds, horses and even a llama during her life devoted to animal causes.

Bette met her husband, Fred, in 1965 because of their mutual love of horses. While they were able to keep a few animals at their home in Ramsey, New Jersey. In 1986, Bette and Fred moved to Barboursville, Virginia, where they lived out their dream of owning a large farm with several horses, and restoring and remodeling a Greek revival style home. In 2002, they moved to Naples, Florida, so Bette could further immerse herself in her interior design career and enjoy a full life in the warm climate.

A funeral mass was held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 2, 2009, at St. Anne's R.C. Church, 15-05 St. Anne Street in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, entombment followed at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.

The family received relatives and friends at Vander Plaat Colonial Home, Inc. at 13-31 Saddle River Road, Fair Lawn, 201-797-3500, on Tuesday, September 1, 2009, from 2 until 4 p.m. and from 7 until 9 pm.

Donations for Alzheimer's research or to animal welfare causes in Bette's memory would be greatly appreciated.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.