Nita Bingley died peacefully this past Sunday (January 15th) at her home in Petoskey. She was preceded in death by her parents Otis and Beulah Berry. She was born Juanita Berry in Tracy, Ky. on Halloween in 1927. She is survived by her husband of 51 years Dr. Leo Bingley, a daughter Susie and her husband Jukka Salakari of Alden, Mi. Their daughter Sara and her new husband Sam Swaboda of Boulder, CO. Plus her son Chris Chickering and his wife Jayne both long time Petoskey residents. Nita was grandma to the Chickering four boys: Cole, David, Christian and Jonah. Her stepchildren included Laurel and Eric Otto of Petoskey and Leo and Ronda Bingley of Austin, Tx.
She moved to Melvindale in the Detroit area at age 5 and was schooled there graduating from Melvindale High School. She went on to college getting her teaching credentials from Mich State then College.
As an avid gardener she earned a Master Gardeners certificate from MSU. She used her garden to round out her incredible cooking skills. She also loved to read and served on the board of the Central Lake Library. After moving to Petoskey in 1959 she became an enthusiastic skier. She was active with the Little Traverse Civic theater with acting duties as well as supporting roles such as costumes and set design. Nita continued involvement with little theater again with acting and non-acting roles with the Torch Lake Theater group. She received rave reviews for her role in Plaza Suite.
Additionally, she was past president of the Little Traverse Hospital women's auxiliary. Sailing became important in that she helped her husband build a Westsail 32 and they then had many sailing adventures including sailing the Chesapeake Bay and the Bahamas.
After her husband retired, they spent eight years as snowbirds in Hattiesburg, Ms. where she was active with the Osher Life Long Learning Institute.
Nita loved to travel and was pleased when both of them had Africa on the top of their “Bucket List” in 2005. They spent an entire month traveling from Cape Town to Cairo.
When asked about her life she'd say: “Hey, I've had a great run!” Her cremains will be interred in the Bingley plot in the Mt. Hope Cemetery Litchfield, Mi.
She expressed the hope that those who wished might lend support to the local Humane Society in her name.
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