Elizabeth Rothman

Bette Rothman (nee Davidson) died on September 10, 2014, four months shy of her 90th birthday. Born in Baltimore and married for 64 years to the late Donald N. Rothman, she was a long-time resident of Mt. Washington before retiring to Broadmead in Hunt Valley. She received an A.A. from the University of Chicago in 1942, then returned to school after WWII to earn a B.A. from Johns Hopkins and an M.A. from Towson University, all while raising four children. A passionate believer in the power of education, she worked at the Ralph Young Boys School in East Baltimore and launched the first summer reading camps in Baltimore City. Optimistic, resilient, open-hearted, generous and, above all, kind, Bette was a free spirit who had a gift for finding joy in simple things. One of her greatest gifts to her family was her abiding love for Cape Cod, where she spent a final vacation in August. Survived by her brother Dr. William Davidson and his wife Christina of Los Angeles, her sister Sue Siegal and her husband Calvin of So. Dartmouth, MA, her son John and his wife Susan Bolotin of NYC, her daughter Ellen Rothman of Watertown, MA, her son Thomas and his wife Jessica Harper Rothman of Los Angeles, her daughter Julie Rothman and her husband Scott Sherman of Baltimore, her much-loved grandchildren Lily, Noah, Elizabeth and Nora Rothman and Katy and Will Sherman, and her dear friend and caregiver Braggil Barnes. The family wishes to thank Grace Muchoki-Gilmore and her other caregivers and the staff at Broadmead, especially Dr. Barbara Carroll and Allison Warren, for giving Bette attention and affection at the end of her life. A gathering in Bette's honor will be held at 4pm on Saturday September 13, 2014 at Broadmead, 13801 York Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030 Contributions in Bette's memory may be made to The Bette and Donald Rothman Scholarship Fund at The Baltimore School for the Arts 712 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 or the Teen and Children Fund at the Enoch Pratt Free Library 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201