Shirley H Betts

Shirley H. Betts, of Essex Junction, VT, passed away peacefully on April 29, 2024 at the age of 88, surrounded by her family. She is predeceased by her husband, Dr. Richard H. Betts, parents, Edwin and Elizabeth Darrow Hurlburt, brothers- and sisters-in-law, Rodger and Marilyn Fryer and Mike and Mary Minko, and her grandson, Joshua Betts. She is survived by her son, John Betts (Renee); her daughter, Susan Elia (Pete); her brothers Richard Hurlburt (Theresa) and James Hurlburt (Lecky), Grandsons Lucas Betts, Ryan Elia, and Jordan Elia; a nephew and many nieces. Shirley grew up in Scotia NY and had an opportunity to live in Venezuela with her family during her Junior year of high school. When she returned, in order to graduate on time with her class, she worked hard and completed her Junior and Senior year of high school in one school year. After high school, she attended Green Mountain College in Poultney, VT for Secretarial Science and then worked as a Secretary at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady. Shirley met her husband, Richard (Dick) while vacationing one summer with her family on Loon Lake in Chestertown, NY. When Dick got a job as a dentist at Clinton Correctional Facility, they moved to Dannemora, NY, where they lived and raised their family. When her children were older, Shirley worked as a clerk at Maggy Pharmacy in Dannemora, where she made many lifelong friends. Later on, Shirley and Dick moved to Queensbury, NY where they had a beautiful house built and where she lived until 2021. Family and friends were very important to Shirley and she made friends everywhere she went. She would go out of her way to help those in need in any way she could. Shirley was strong and independent and was not afraid or deterred from doing things by herself, whether it was tackling a home improvement project or driving with two young children by herself to North Carolina to visit family. Shirley was always fun, up for anything, and was usually found fussing over her family, friends and her home. She loved to visit with neighbors, sharing a cup of tea and her famous homemade desserts, such as cherry cheesecakes, pumpkin pie, or lemon bars. Shirley loved animals, especially cats, and had a soft spot in her heart for all of them, even the wild animals outside. She enjoyed reading, sewing and knitting and was a member of Garden Club and Newcomers Club while she lived in Queensbury. Shirley loved swimming and spending time at Loon Lake with her kids and grandkids. Shirley and her family received excellent support and care during the last few years of Shirley’s life. We would like to give a special thank you to Shelly Bedard and the staff at Pine Harbour Assisted Living in Plattsburgh, NY; Heather Lambert and the staff at Maple Ridge Memory Care in Essex Junction, VT; and the team at Bayata Hospice in Colchester, VT. A service and celebration of life for Shirley will be held on Friday, May 31, 2024 at 10 am at Brown Funeral Home, Plattsburgh NY, followed by a casual reception at the American Legion in West Plattsburgh. Friends and family are welcome. Interment will be held at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery at a later date. If you’d like to make a donation in memory of Shirley H. Betts, please do so to Elmore SPCA, Inc., PO Box 686, Peru, NY or online www.elmorespca.org; or to Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York by mail to 1003 New Loudon Road Suite 201, Cohoes, NY 12047, or online at http://act.alz.org/goto/Shirley_Betts.