NEWVILLE, Pa. – Elisabeth Bushnell Howard died peacefully, Monday Oct. 2, 2006, her birthday, at the age of 81 at Green Ridge Village in Newville, Pennsylvania. The daughter of the late Carlos and Louise Bushnell, Betty was born in Buffalo, New York on Oct. 2, 1925.
Betty, a caring and compassionate wife and mother, leaves her loving and dedicated husband of over 56 years, Bob and two children: Wendy H. Schwarz, her husband Francis X. and son Michael of Chester, Vermont and their daughter Nevin and husband Corey Driscoll of Burlington, Vermont; and her second child Cynthia H. Gardner of Saranac Inn, New York and daughter Jessica Elisabeth of Ventura, California. Also surviving, a sister Louise B. Bagge of Orchard Park, New York and numerous nieces and nephews.
Betty was a 1948 graduate of Oberlin College and taught physical education in the public school systems of western New York, then special education, which she pursued for over 20 years. While teaching full time and raising her family, Betty earned her Master’s Degree (1974) in special education and was in the first graduating class in that major from Shippensburg State University.
Upon retirement, the Howards returned to Carlisle in 1992 and moved to Green Ridge Village in 2005. For the past 35 years they have enjoyed the family’s summer home at Upper Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks, (her “healing woods”).
A service celebrating Betty’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 9 at the Second Presbyterian Church, 528 Garland Drive, Carlisle, Pa.
Burial will be at a later date in Hamilton, at the Colgate University Cemetery.
The family requests those who wish to remember Betty consider a donation in her name to: High Peaks Hospice Memorial Donation PO Box 840, Saranac Lake, New York, 12983 or to a charity of choice.