Elizabeth D Woodruff

Elizabeth Dunstan Woodruff “Bettie” died peacefully on Sunday, March 20th at Brightview South River in Edgewater, MD, due to complications from a stroke. She was born May 2, 1922 at Tripler Air Base in the Territory of Hawaii. She was the daughter of Col. Edwin V. Dunstan (U.S. Army Corp of Engineers) and Ruth Halpin. Bettie graduated from the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX with a degree in Home Economics. During her father’s posting at the United State Military Academy, she met, and later married, Col. Roscoe “Barney” Barnett Woodruff, Jr. (USAF, retired; USMA Class of ‘41). Together they had five daughters and were stationed all over the U.S., as well as Germany and Japan. Bettie enjoyed the duties of an officer’s wife and passed along her passions for travel, gardening, dancing, wildlife, sewing, sports, camping and baking. She was tenacious and fearless, taking up golf, flying, trout fishing, square dancing, synchronized swimming, ice skating, and skiing. The Woodruffs eventually retired in 1994 and split their time between the mountains of Boone, NC and Annapolis. Both were active parishioners of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Crownsville, MD, and Bettie was a member of both the choir and bell choir. She is survived by three daughters, Nancy Hartwell of Newland, N.C.; Louise Woodruff and Diane Sulima of Annapolis, MD.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her husband and two daughters, Susan and Janet. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 1505 Crownsville Road, Crownsville, MD on Tuesday, March 29th at 11:00a.m. with interment at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake or the SPCA of Anne Arundel County.