Elizabeth R. Phelps

Elizabeth Richmond Phelps (Betsy), died peacefully at home in Greenwich, CT on January 16th at the age of 88. She is survived by her son George, her daughter, Catherine and son-in-law, Daniel McNamara, her grandchildren, Maxwell, Garrett and Ford Phelps. She is predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Stanford N. Phelps.

Betsy was devoted to her family, spending summers with them at her home on Lake Canandaigua and exploring other parts of the world on their many travels together.

Betsy was born in Newark, N.Y., daughter of Alice Hallagan Richmond and George Llewellyn Richmond. She graduated with a B.A. from Smith College in 1956 and began working in Boston. While Betsy made the decision not to work outside the home once she started her family, her contributions and commitments to the community were numerous and varied. She started the Greenwich Book Club when she first moved to Greenwich, served as President of the Greenwich Arts Council and was a member of the Board of the Bruce Museum, the Board of Brunswick School and the Board of the Greenwich Boy Scouts, President and one of the founding members of L.O.S.T.S (Last of the Small Time Spenders). She also served as a Trustee for Hartwick College, Oneonata, New York, the Madeira School, McLean, Virginia and on the Advisory Board of the Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, Connecticut.

Betsy was an accomplished horticulturalist, creating beautiful gardens in Greenwich and at her summer home, serving as President of the Green Fingers Garden Club and Co-chairing their 75th Anniversary Celebrations.

Betsy will be sadly missed by her family and her many, many friends and colleagues. A service in celebration of Betsy’s life will be held on February 5 at 11am at the Round Hill Club, 33 Round Hill Club Road, Greenwich. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association (CLWA). www.canandaigualakeassoc.org