Bethany Decaria Obituary (2004 - 2022)

Bethany Grace Decaria entered this life a fighter and, after eighteen magnificent years, left a champion. Our little warrior princess joined our family on November 21, 2004 with a tenacious spirit and indomitable spark of creativity. A stomach-wall defect and day-one surgery couldn't keep Bethy from surging into toddlerhood, learning to read at four and knocking every Primary talk out of the park. By age seven, Bethy lost most of her vision, but she picked up a white cane and proceeded through childhood with an infectious laugh, brilliant high-pitched voice, and a love of storytelling. She danced, acted in plays, took photographs, won awards, and captured the hearts of everyone she met. At age eight, symptoms of Batten disease crept into her life, even though it would be years before it had that awful name. Seizures and hospital visits became commonplace, but Bethy had few words of complaint and persevered with a kind and thoughtful heart, caring for her little brother and sister, and her grieving parents. In her teenage years, our tenacious beauty gradually lost her mobility, her voice, and her cognitive abilities, but she never lost her sense of humor or bright spirit. She carried a love of songs, music, and her favorite words. Bethy continued to inspire joy and love in spite of her many trials. At seventeen, Bethy lost her battle with Battens, graduating from this life on August 27, 2022. Finally free from the limitations of that disease, we believe she has climbed up on her spirit legs, and with a reclaimed voice and renewed song, Bethy returned to her Father in Heaven to resume her heavenly work of bringing us all home. She is survived by her parents, Ryan and Suzanne, and her siblings, Beckham and Zaylee, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, classmates, teachers, care workers, neighbors, cast members, and brief acquaintances who all loved her and miss her desperately, but who are grateful that such a wondrous and inspiring person had blessed their lives for a brief but brilliant moment. A Celebration of Life open house will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2022 from 5 to 8 pm at the Bowery on 2175 W 4250 S, Roy, UT 84067.