She was born on Jan. 2, 1928, in Bath, the daughter of Pascal and Mary Olive (Galant) Harper. She grew up in Bath graduating from Morse High School class of 1945. Betty then furthered her education, graduating from the Nursing School, Maine General Hospital in Portland in 1951. She received her B.A. in nursing from the San Jose State College, California in 1956, and received her master’s degree from the University of California in 1968.
Betty taught several nursing classes for two years at the school of nursing, Santa Clara County Hospital, Santa Clara, CA. She was employed and retired from the Public Health, San Jose, CA in 1987 and the couple made their home in Phippsburg, Maine, moving to Bath, Schnoor Ridge Condos, in 2002.
Betty was predeceased by her parents, stepfather, Edward Hawkes Sr.; brothers, Havilan Joseph Harper and Dale Harper.
She is survived by her husband, Ronald of Bath, sister-in-law June Harper of Small Point and New Port Richey, FL; a stepsister, Edith Hill and her husband Loyd of Phippsburg; nephew, Leo Hill and his wife Lisa and their two daughters, Stephanie and Allison of Brunswick and niece, Lynn Pawley and her husband Ray of South Borough, MA; nephew, Wayne Harper and wife Sherry and their son Jake of Lafayette, LA; sister-in-law, Mary Pelkey of Kensington, CT; nephew, Gregory Pelkey and his wife Clarice and their sons Gregory Jr. and Jeffrey of Kensington CT.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that if you wish to make a memorial donation in “Betty’s” name they be made to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1893, Memphis, TN 38101 or Animal Shelter, 30 Range Road, Brunswick, Maine 04011 or the Bath Area Food Bank, P.O. Box 65, Bath, Maine 04530.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, Dec. 16, 2013, from 4 to 6 p.m. at David E. Desmond & Son Funeral Home, 638 High St., Bath. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Following the service, interment will take place at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, Augusta, Maine at noon.
To share your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit www.desmondfuneralhomes.com.
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