Elizabeth Montali Smith McKenzie (Betty) died peacefully at her residence in Annapolis, Maryland with her family by her side on February 5, 2023. She was 96 years old. Betty was born on November 1, 1926 in New London, CT to Armando and Dorina (Uguccioni) Montali. Betty grew up in a loving Italian family surrounded with laughter, good food and conversation. Betty was fiercely proud of her Italian heritage which sustained her throughout her life. She graduated from the Harbor School and then Williams Memorial Institute in New London in 1944. She went on to attend and graduate from Pembroke College (Brown University) in Providence, RI graduating in 1948 with a BA. While at Brown she was selected as a Whose Who in American Universities, as well as being Campus Model, May Queen and President of the Student Government Association. She was known for her long pageboy hair with “the bangs” throughout her college years. She remained active with her alma mater for years, participating in many commencements by representing her class and walking down College Hill.
She met and married her first husband, Peirce Baker Smith (PB) while attending Brown. They married in April, 1950 and their 49 year journey took them to Cambridge, Mass while PB attended Harvard Law School, Attleboro, Massachusetts where he set up his practice and Touisset Point, Warren Rhode Island where they summered and eventually settled. Together they raised two children and Betty was very involved with all of their many activities. Her homes were always opened to friends and visitors children and adults alike who knew they were in for a good meal, kind hospitality and lively conversations.
Betty always loved the theatre and continued that as a frequent and often lead actor in the Attleboro Little Theatre starring in productions such as Diary of Anne Frank, Mary, Mary and Land of the Dragon. She was active in the Attleboro community on various civic boards and associations. She embarked on a career in the early 70’s as the Art History teacher at The House in the Pines School in Norton, Mass and took her role very seriously. She loved the arts of all kinds and this position gave her the opportunity to research and study and bring her knowledge and sparkling personality to the classroom. She later became a docent at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, a position she relished. Tennis was a great passion, and she excelled at the sport. She won many trophies and tournaments at her summer residence an was always up for a good game. When she could not longer play she continued to follow every major USTA tournament. In 1988 Betty and PB threw caution to the wind and purchased an old farm house in Touisset Point, Warren RI and renovated it as their permanent residence. She remained in that home until 2011 twelve years after PB passed in 1999. She loved Touisset and was active in every part of her special community for over 70 years and served on the local land trust board very concerned about protecting the land and nature in the area. She loved all things related to the beach and the ocean and looked forward to her regular swims in the Mt. Hope Bay and Kickemuitt River. She continued to spend time each summer at Touisset until she could no longer travel.
Betty embarked on a whole second chapter in her life in 2008 when she remarried Leon”Mac” McKenzie a fellow Touisset friend and they had more than ten great years together enjoying a full life in their eighties. Everything old was new again. Their wedding took place at the Touisset Community Club with friends and family celebrating. She moved down to Ginger Cove in Annapolis, Maryland and remained their until her death. Typical of Betty, she jumped with enthusiasm into her new life taking classes at nearby St. John’s college, studying the Chinese language, and exploring Washington, DC and Annapolis. She excelled at playing duplicate bridge and every Sunday for years she completed the NY times crossword puzzle and watched her favorite team, The New England Patriots.
Betty will be remembered for her kindness to all and her amazing sense of style and elegance. She was the ultimate entertainer and was known for her skills in the kitchen where she and her sister would joyfully sing show tunes or opera and whip up gourmet Italian meals. She loved her large family and would consider all of them to be her greatest legacy. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to all. She was proud of her humble beginnings and appreciated each and every day always telling her family to stop and smell the roses and not sweat the small stuff. She is survived by her son Justin Peirce Smith (Miyun) of Henderson, Nevada, daughter Elisa Smith Eydt (William) of New Canaan, Connecticut, grandchildren Sarah Eydt Arestia, Christopher Peirce Eydt, and Matthew William Eydt, three great grandchildren and one on the way. Betty is also survived by stepdaughter Barbara McKenzie Holch (Niels) of Annapolis, Maryland and stepson Mark McKenzie of Atlanta, Georgia, adored nephew Bradford Hood (Tami) of Charlotte ,North Carolina and niece Tracy Hood Golden of Salt Lake City, Utah and many extended Smith family members. She was predeceased by her beloved sister Anita May Montali Hood in 2017 and husband Mac McKenzie in 2018.
A celebration of Betty’s life will be held later this summer at Touisset Point, Warren, RI.
Gifts in her memory can be sent to the Touisset Point Community Club RE: Betty Smith 22 Brownell Street, Warren, RI 02885
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