Nettie Beatrice (Bea) Way, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother passed away April 18, 2026, in Palm Bay, Florida, after a short illness, surrounded by family. She was 97 years old and the last of her generation.

She was born Nettie Beatrice Pratt on June 29, 1928, at the Auburn Hospital near Union Springs, NY. She was the daughter of Winfred Wright Pratt and Florence Harriet (Eastman) Pratt. She was the youngest of seven children.

Bea lived and graduated high school in Canisteo, NY. She was very active in the Drama Club and Girl Scouts. After graduation, Bea went to Cobleskill Institute for Home Economics and Dietary Management, graduating in 1948.

She met her future husband, Bruce B. Way, while at Cobleskill at a dance, They married May 29, 1949, at her brother Belden’s house in Canisteo, NY. Bruce and Bea moved to Poughkeepsie, NY, where they built a house and a home together. They welcomed their three children, Joyce E. Way, Bruce B. Way, Jr., and George B. Way.

Bruce and Bea moved to Schenectady, NY, and Bea went to work for the State of New York at the Dept of Motor Vehicles, retiring as supervisor in 1983. They traveled across the country in their camper and ended up settling down in Fort Myers Beach, FL, where they lived for over 30 years before moving to Vero Beach, FL. Bea’s husband Bruce passed away in 2018, and Bea moved to Melbourne, FL, to be closer to her son George and his family.

Bea learned to play cards when she was 4 as she had to play her mother’s hands while her mother was tending to chores. She played cards–500, cribbage, pinochle, and Bridge–up until a few days before she passed away. She made most of her clothes and was always crocheting blankets, bedspreads, dresser scarfs, and tablecloths. Bea loved to swim and spent many hours swimming in the Hudson River, the Mohawk River, and the Gulf of Mexico where the couple would take their little inflatable boat out regularly.

Bea and Bruce went on 48 cruises where she loved to dance with her husband. They also did some traveling in Europe as well as traveling to NY to see family.

Bea is survived by her children, Joyce Way Klatte, Bruce Way, and George (Denise) Way; grandchildren, Ryan (Elise) De Sade Way, Nicholas (Katrina) Klatte,Taylor Way, and Elliot (Noelle) Way; and great grandson, James Ryan De Sade Way.

Bea was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Bruce after 68 years of marriage; brothers, Justin Pratt, Winfred Pratt, and Belden Pratt; sisters Mary Lester, Dorothy Pratt, and Janet Schram; daughter-in-law, Julie Way; son-in-law, Marlin Klatte,and grandson, Justin Way.

Arrangements are being made by Island Cremations and Funeral Home in Merrit Island, FL. A burial service will be held in West Middlebury, NY. She will be buried next to her husband Bruce and her sisters.