Elizabeth (Betty) Martin was born in Providence, Rhode Island on April 26, 1920 and passed peacefully in Tallahassee on August 18, 2020 in her 100th year. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Bill Martin (2002), and is survived by her four children, Dr. Michael Martin (Trish) of Bellevue, WA, Peter Martin (Louisa), Tallahassee, FL, Joan Martin, Norwich, CT, and Rob Martin, Ft. Myers, FL, seven grandchildren, Farina McKenzie, Andy Martin, Samantha Martin, Joshua Martin, Judith Elizabeth Martin, Kate Martin, Casey Martin, and nine great-grandchildren.
Betty graduated from Hope Street High School in Providence in 1938 and after graduation began working in an office downtown, and on September 21, 1938 when she and a co-worker were out for lunch, the streets began filling with water forcing them to take refuge up the many steps of City Hall where they joined others to wait out the 1938 hurricane. There was no radar or tracking of hurricanes in 1938, and the storm caught the residents of Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island by surprise causing the tragic loss of life and catastrophic damage to property.
Betty and husband Bill were married for 60 years and lived in Norwich, CT from 1952 to 1988, and then retired to Punta Gorda, FL where they enjoyed the weather, golf, and the many friends they met in that community. Elizabeth was active in several Norwich organizations including the League of Women Voters, and volunteering with UNICEF and at the Norwich State Hospital. She was an avid golfer having been taught by Bill who was an excellent golfer and worked as the golf pro at the Litchfield Country Club (CT) during the summers of 1947-1950 while a student at Tufts University Dental School in Boston, MA. They enjoyed playing golf at the Norwich Golf Club where in 1959 Betty won the Ladies Championship. The family later joined Pautipaug Country Club in nearby Baltic, CT (where it is believed she also won the ladies championship at least once).
Betty spent most of her last two years at Cherry Laurel, an independent living facility in Tallahassee, where she had many friends and a wonderful staff. She was faithful in staying in touch with cherished friends in Norwich, Punta Gorda and elsewhere with phone calls and letters.
Betty loved music and in her youth dancing to the Big Band music, but her greatest love was her family, and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren which in the last two years included being “Great Gramma Betty” to three of her great-granddaughters in Tallahassee. When Betty turned 100 on April 26, 2020, a grand outdoor birthday party celebration was held which included 100 paper butterflies, three helium balloons making the floating number “100,” and the “Zooming-in” of children and grandchildren from Washington (State) and California to wish her a happy birthday. Betty would say she had a wonderful life and her family and friends will cherish her memory.
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