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Elizabeth "Betsy" MacArthur

1933 - 2018

Elizabeth "Betsy" MacArthur obituary, 1933-2018, Marlboro, VT

BORN

1933

DIED

2018

Elizabeth MacArthur Obituary

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Betsy MacArthur (Elizabeth W. MacArthur) of Marlboro, Vermont on February 9, 2018. Betsy was an artist, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a friend to many. Betsy died quietly in her home after a brief illness, surrounded by her family.

Betsy was born Elizabeth Bayles Whittemore in Hingham, Massachusetts in 1933. Her father, Arthur E. Whittemore, was a lawyer and later a judge on the Massachusetts Supreme Court, and her mother, Suvia P. Whittemore, was active in the League of Women Voters on national water policy issues. Betsy had an older sister, Suvia Judd, of Marlboro, and an older brother, Arthur P. (Pat) Whittemore, also of Marlboro, who both predeceased her. Betsy graduated from Westtown School in Pennsylvania in 1950, and from Smith College in 1954, magna cum laude, with a major in Botany. She was offered a job at the New York Botanic Garden. Although she did not pursue a career in botany, she continued to love plants and remember the Latin names for many of them.

Betsy's parents had ties to Marlboro and she had spent her summers in a cabin on the hill between South Road and South Pond. When she was fifteen, she met her future husband, Robert H. MacArthur, at a square dance at the Marlboro Meeting House. Three years later, in 1952, she and Robert married. They had four children, Duncan, Alan, Lizzie (Elizabeth), and Don (Donald). Over the years they lived in places from Fort Huachuca, AZ and Oxford, England, to Glen Mills,PA and Princeton, NJ, following Robert's career as a biology professor, generally accompanied by a multitude of dogs and cats. But every summer they spent at their cabin without electricity or plumbing on the shore of South Pond. Betsy was famous at Ames Hill Beach for arriving once a week with the shopping from Brattleboro, honking three times, and waiting for other family members to paddle across the lake in the canoe to pick up the groceries. Robert died of cancer in 1972, and in some ways Betsy never fully got over his death. He continued to be an important presence in her heart and mind for the rest of her life.

Betsy was a devoted mother to her four children. While they were in school she was home every afternoon to serve tea and cookies and talk about the day. The family ate dinner together virtually every night until the children left for college. Once the children were scattered across the U.S., their visits were among Betsy's greatest pleasures. She also loved calls and letters and proudly told visitors of her family's latest accomplishments. Betsy's last big trip was for the first wedding of a grandchild, Colin's marriage to Heather Yang, in Santa Fe, NM, accompanied by her friend and caregiver Rose Watson.

After Robert's death, Betsy and her children settled in Marlboro year-round, in a house on South Road that had belonged to Betsy's grandfather, Lewis Paton. During Betsy's years in Princeton, she had begun developing an interest in art, and after the move to Marlboro art played an increasingly central role in Betsy's life. Betsy also faced some challenges from her bipolar disorder at this phase of her life. Before his death Robert had built a studio with north-facing windows in the field next to Betsy's grandfather's house. Once settled in Marlboro, Betsy painted regularly up at her studio and enrolled in art classes at Windham College. Betsy's work was shown at a variety of exhibit spaces in Marlboro, Brattleboro, and Newfane, as well as in Berkeley, California during the year she spent caring for her first grandson.

Betsy's paintings were vibrant, bold, and filled with energy. Her favorite subjects were people, flowers, and her own fields, woods, and house. Many of the portraits were of herself, and they are both stunning and unsettling. Betsy loved to share her art with other people, and in later years she often gave away paintings, or sold them for $25 each to get them out into people's houses where they could be enjoyed.

As much as for her gorgeous paintings, Betsy will be remembered for the warm welcome she offered to every person who came to her house, whether for an hour or for several years. She often shared her house and outbuildings with friends or with tenants who became friends. She was also remarkably generous with anyone who stopped by for a chat, whether the people who worked on her house, or local friends of many years, or friends from earlier epochs of her life who made the trip to visit her, or her children and grandchildren. In the last few years of her life, Betsy was cared for in her home by many wonderful caregivers who also became close friends. Betsy would offer a delighted smile of greeting to anyone arriving, followed by tea and conversation. She so loved bright colors that many visitors deliberately chose their brightest outfits when stopping by, and Betsy would invariably comment enthusiastically on their palette.

Betsy is survived by her four children: Duncan MacArthur and wife Nancy, of White Rock, NM; Alan MacArthur and wife Stephanie, of Gaithersburg, MD; Elizabeth MacArthur and husband William Warner, of Goleta, CA; and Donald MacArthur and wife Jennifer Waltz, of Missoula, MT; eight grandchildren: Colin (Duncan's son), Robert, James, and Will (Alan), Nathaniel and Emma (Lizzie), and Dylan and Evan (Don); and six nieces and nephews.

A memorial service and show of Betsy's art will take place in July 2018 in Marlboro.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Betsy's name should be made to the Marlboro Alliance, P.O. Box 165, Marlboro, VT 05344.

Published by Brattleboro Reformer on Feb. 13, 2018.
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6 Entries

Way back in the sixties, Duncan MacArthur was my dear friend, and Betsy was very much a second mom to me. Wednesday was my day to spend after school and have dinner with the MacArthur family at their home in Pennsylvania. It meant the world to me to be with them as being with them was an important respite from my own, difficult childhood situation. Betsy was always very warm and cheerful in her quiet way, and she was a loving and attentive mother to Duncan, Alan, Lizzie and, later, Donald. In a country home without a television, we always created our own adventures, with Betsy readily available with sage advice for our plans, or to be an enthusiastic audience for our skits or demonstrations. That Betsy and Robert loved each other deeply was never in doubt to me, and I have a very fond memory of seeing them ice skating arm in arm around the little pond near my home, very much enjoying their time with each other, even with children and others skating noisily around them.

Dear, sweet Mrs. MacArthur, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your family every Wednesday after school. I will always be very grateful to you for that. Please send my deepest affection and regards to Mr. MacArthur. I'm so glad you are both together again. God Bless you both, and God Bless the MacArthur family.

Wendy Kimmell Daly

Wendy Kimmell Daly

July 8, 2018

In loving memory-

One of Betsy's favorite daily routines when I lived in her cabin, was to sit in her bedroom with a candle and "focus on the light in (her) heart", as a midday meditation. It was a simple, unconventional and friendly suggestion made by her physician. She cherished the advice as well as the routine, and often kept a candle lit on the dining room table in the evenings while she mused or visited with friends or family.

Sheri Stewart

May 23, 2018

I love seeing this photo of Betsy. Her beautiful smile, floppy sun hat, such as she would have worn while painting self portraits.

This is how I remember Betsy. I remember that at the time this photo was taken she felt pleased with her recent success losing weight. I think she did a self portrait in this hat. A line drawing, which ended up as the cover for her coloring book. Betsy, Rose and I self-published a small book each. Betsy's was a coloring book of line drawings. We also, at that time, recorded ourselves reading from our books and burned a collective CD. Then we performed a public reading at The Twilight Tea Lounge on Gallery Walk, where displayed and sold our works. Great fun!

That was Betsy; always game! All the while encouraging the creative spirit of those around her.

My dear Betsy, you will forever be in my heart and on my mind... a second mother, mentor, benefactor, role model and most importantly, a beloved, and long missed friend. I struggle to find the words to adequately describe the nature of our friendship. It was rich, multifaceted and long-standing.

I love you and miss you. Thank you for all the ways you made my life beautiful and joyful, and helped me to become the person I am.

Thank you for all that you taught me, invited me to, supported in me, shared with me. There is so so much.

Yesterday a friend and I went to South Pond. I reflected on the legacy you, Robert, Sue, Dick, Pat and your parents left in Marlboro, and for this region. The beauty of South Pond preserved for humans and wildlife. And the founding of Marlboro College, which draws many creative, caring, intelligent souls to the Brattleboro area.

I missed your presence terribly at the pond. It's not the same without you. So many great memories live on. The beauty of the pond lives on, because you were there.

So many of the things in my life that are important to me, were discovered while we were friends, were intertwined with the land that you welcomed me on and our friendship; and shared with you. You understood much that few people do.

Your friendship has been so important, influential and pervasive in my life that it is difficult to wrap my mind around it. So many beautiful things unfolded during our years as friends.

I will always be grateful, I will always miss you. I know you will be listening to our prayers, and continuing your help from your new perspective.

Sheri Stewart

May 23, 2018

I had modeled for Betsy back in 1980 when I was a student at Marlboro College, and she became a kind of informal mentor to me at the time. Her country home, her life routines, even her preference for stewed tomatoes that she ordered from a company called Walnut Creek, her kindness, her openness and managing of her illness, and not least of all her commitment to her art, were all influential to me. I have held her dear for all these years, and I will continue to hold her in my heart in the ache that her death opens up. My condolences to her family, close friends, and caretakers.

Teta Hilsdon

May 14, 2018

Betsy called my parents flower shop often to wire out orders to her children and grandchildren for all kinds of things, dance recitals birthdays, promotions, etc. and her children often ordered fresh cut flowers or plants to be delivered to her. I always enjoyed our phone conversations, I loved to hear her brag about her kids... she was a sharp lady and a lovely person.

February 21, 2018

I have fond memories of Betsy during my years at Marlboro College. Many impromptu conversations about art and life. She was such a strong presence in the Marlboro community. I feel honored to have known her.

Annie Quest

February 20, 2018

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