Betsy Dana Hutchison

Betsy Dana Hutchison was born March 27, 1920, in Newport, Ohio, a short distance up the Ohio River from the college town of Marietta. She was the second oldest of six children born to William Dwight Dana and Mary McConnell Dana.

Betsy's early education was in the public schools of Newport, where she had perfect attendance for all twelve years of schooling. This record of good health continued throughout her life. Upon graduation, she enrolled in the St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and in 1943 she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps.

A highlight of her World War II service was meeting and marrying Humphrey Gray Hutchison, a Finance Officer, whom she met in Cheltenham, England shortly after her arrival in the European Theater of Operations. They were married on August 9, 1944 in Torquay, England in a military wedding followed by a required British civilian ceremony.

Betsy headed a plastic surgery ward at the 53rd General Hospital in Malvern, England, subsequently was transferred to Paris, and completed her military duties at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. When discharged from the Army she had attained the rank of Captain and received the European Theater of Operations Medal and the Victory in Europe Medal.

Betsy was proud of her military service and enjoyed wearing her uniform every Veteran’s Day well into her nineties. She was honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1986 at its Continental Congress in Washington for her military service. In addition, she participated in the Flight of Honor to Washington, DC in 2011 and in Operation Omaha in Bedford, Virginia for the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014. In 2016, the Samuel Johnston Chapter of the DAR dedicated a granite bench in her honor at the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Field of Honor.

She and Gray moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, in August of 1950, to a home she loved on Pineview Street and where she lived until the age of ninety-one. She became the second mother to many neighborhood children as well as many young people she met through both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, many of whom have stayed in touch throughout the years.

Betsy formed many long-lasting friendships through her membership and leadership in various church and community organizations: White Memorial Presbyterian Church, the Green Thumb Garden Club, and the Samuel Johnston Chapter of the DAR, to name a few. She and daughter-in-law Nancy Hutchison helped serve lunch to homeless men and women at Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen for almost 10 years, and she delivered meals with friend Irene Jewell for Meals on Wheels for many years.

Betsy was known for her kindness, her love of children, her work ethic, and her optimism. She always saw the best qualities in everyone. She believed that a busy day was a good day. One of her favorite sayings was that "If you have your family and your health, you have everything."

She was happiest when her children and their friends were around - whether it was camping at Kerr Lake or later at their cottage on Lake Gaston, watching them play in the front yard during the summers, opening their home to anyone and everyone for New Years’ Day lunch and football or going to the children’s (and later grandchildren’s) sports or other activities.

She loved celebrating her birthday (which she liked to stretch out for weeks at a time), potatoes in any form and up to 3 times a day, decorating for the holidays, newsy Christmas cards, fried chicken, attending NC State football games, watching the Carolina Hurricanes on TV, reading the Sports Section of the News & Observer, orchids and Double Delight roses, her Pineview Street neighborhood, a sunset pontoon boat ride at Lake Gaston, a bargain purchase of a new dress, Face Timing with great grandchildren, and reading, particularly a John Grisham mystery.

Betsy was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, H. Gray Hutchison, Sr. and her sisters, Lela and Mary Florence and brothers, Ted, Max, and Bill.

She is survived by her sons, Gray Hutchison (Gail) and Fred Hutchison (Nancy); her daughter, Becky Perkinson (Jay); her grandchildren, Lee Veit (Bobby), Mary Gray Hixson (Kris), Laura Sines (Todd), Anne Wein (Scott), Kay Hutchison (Dan Whitt), Rob Saunders (Carolyn), Wes Saunders (Laura Jasmine); and Becky’s step-children, John Perkinson, III, Kim Perkinson and Trudy Roberts (Bernie); and 12 great grandchildren. After Gray’s death in 1997, she enjoyed a special friendship with Owen Smith and has remained close to Owen’s family since his death.

The family would like to thank the staff at LekitaCare, Transitions LifeCare and Whitaker Glen for the loving care they have given their mother and especially her primary caregivers Vane Okongo, Betty Raila, Anne Karianjahi, and Veronica Kariuki.

A memorial service will be held at White Memorial Presbyterian Church on August 19th at 1 p.m. A reception will follow in Pickard Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen (121 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603), StepUp Ministry (1701 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, NC 27608) or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Services provided by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.