Born in Indiantown, SC on December 29, 1930, Betty was the daughter of James Hamilton and Kathleen Wallace Felder. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Robert “Skip,” and son, Andrew (June Godshalk), of Clemson, SC. She is also survived by grandchildren William Dorn III of London, England; Madison Dorn of Greenville, SC; James Newton of Portland, OR; and Thomas Newton of Atlanta, GA; sister Kay Bodenheimer of Columbia, SC; sister-in-law Faith Stuart of Capon Bridge, WV; and many special nieces and cousins. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Anne Newton Dorn (Jennings Dorn).
After graduating as valedictorian of Kingstree High School at the age of 16, Betty attended Winthrop College before embarking on a long career as an inspirational, compassionate elementary school teacher. She was active in civic affairs, with leadership roles that included president of the Junior League of Sumter, SC, member of the South Carolina White House Committee on Children, and member of the Sumter Child Study Project, which received the American Psychiatric Association’s 1967 Gold Award.
Betty was a lifelong musician, artist, and refined hostess whose sumptuous repasts were matched only by the elegantly adorned tables on which they were served. Upon retiring with her beloved Robert to Beaufort, SC, she marveled at the bay from her front porch, watched colorful birds in her backyard, and planned splendid occasions for her grandchildren. An avid genealogist, Betty delighted in researching her ancestry, writing two books that brought her family’s history to life.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 7 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 2827 Wheat St., Columbia, SC, with The Rev. Scott Fleischer officiating. A springtime interment of ashes will follow in Beaufort, SC in the cemetery of the Parish Church of St. Helena (Anglican congregation), to which memorial gifts may be made in lieu of flowers.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18