She was born in Chattahoochee County, GA., at Martin Army Hospital, Fort Benning, GA, Sept 26, 1962.
While growing up as a proud "Army Brat", she had the unique experience living in many different locations, the most unusual was Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She attended Fort Hunt High School in Alexandria, VA., but moved to Florida with her parents, graduating with honors from Hudson High School while serving as President of the Drama Club. She was a talented musician (piano) and actress, performing in many productions at local theaters before attending The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYC. But possessing great talent was not enough. The big break never came and she chose to become an Accountant. For the last many years she was the Assistant Controller at Odyssey Marine Explorations, Tampa, : deep sea treasure recovery company.
In her early thirties she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a progressively disabling neurological disease. She continued to work even as it progressed, eventually taking away her mobility, confining her to a motorized chair, and thus later in life, bed ridden. But her intellect and her indomitable spirit enabled her to survive and endure in the face of this disabling disease. She seldom complained about the years while battling MS and the courage she showed was an inspiration to all that knew her. She always said that her legs didn't work but there was nothing wrong with her brain. In her forced retirement, she found great enjoyment and pleasure in researching and documenting her family ancestry and being a Grandmother to her twin granddaughters.
She will be remembered as a loving and devoted mother who cared deeply for her family, even her furry one, ChewChee. She is preceded in death by her mother Elizabeth H. Wiggins, her brother Robert C. Wiggins, and her cousin Cheryl Jensen. She is survived by her daughter Samantha E. Goetz, her son in law George Goetz, her granddaughters Layla and Lila Goetz and Her father Lt Col Robert M Wiggins, USA-Ret. Services are still to be arranged. In Lieu of flowers, our family and Betsy, request that donations be made in her memory to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
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