Betty (Holzapfel) Smith

With heavy hearts we share the news that Betty (Holzapfel) Wellendorff Smith, passed away Wednesday, September 17, at the age of 91. All who met her remember her bright smile, beautiful blue eyes, intellectual curiosity, and deep engagement with her faith.

Born on July 29, 1934, to Louis Leroy and Gladys (Julian) Holzapfel in Chicago, IL, she was the third of five children. The family moved to Louisville in 1941. In her teen years, Betty was a cast member of WHAS radio's Hi-Varieties and was featured on the first television show aired on WHAS-TV. She went on to graduate from Eastern High School and attended University of Kentucky from 1952 to 1954, where she was an active thespian and majored in journalism. She then met and married Carl E. Wellendorff, the father of her four children.

While raising her young children, Betty served as President of the Junior Circle of the Queen's Daughters. In 1968, she returned to college and earned her degree from Spalding College in 1972. She began her career in education as a fifth-grade teacher at St. Agnes, and was later often told by former students that she was their favorite teacher. Betty went on to serve as principal of St. Barnabas and Mother of Good Counsel in Louisville, and later at Vergennes Union Elementary School in Vermont. She earned a Masters of Education from the University of Louisville in 1979, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from University of Vermont.

In 1987, Betty married Dr. Amory C. Smith, and moved to South Burlington, Vermont. After serving as principal at Vergennes, she worked as Assistant Manager at the Barnes and Noble in Burlington, helping to open the first store in Vermont, and later worked as Community Relations Manager. In this role - one so fitting her lively and warm personality - she hosted local and national authors at book signings, organized tea parties for children, and greeted all customers in search of a great read.

Betty's life-long faith journey was marked by some unconventional paths and renegade notions. In the 1980s, she was on the team that originated Beginning Experience, a retreat ministry for divorced, widowed and separated Catholics, and served on the local and national board for eight years. Later in life, at the age of 79, she was ordained a deacon, and began a ministry with Hospice. She found great joy being a celebrant or co-celebrant at the baptisms, weddings and funerals of family and friends, and went to great effort to craft the appropriate words for each person and each occasion. Betty was a regular participant in classes on social justice, and courses at the Passionist Earth and Spirit Center.

She graced us with many gifts along the way, including her special gift of words in the forms of prayers, funny poems and parodies, and gentle comfort during hard times. Her inimitable ability to connect with young and old is notable, all with a sincere attention to their interests and abilities, as well as their needs. With an eye for beauty, like that of her Mother, Betty gave the world her calligraphy and needlepoint.

We can only aspire to her level of compassion and warmth, her resilience, her ability to make her own happiness, her ability to rhyme the most difficult words, and her speed at solving the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle. A voracious reader, Betty finished three to four books a week and the entire weekend NYT cover to cover. To promote the love of reading, she showered her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with books.

Betty is preceded in death by: her parents, Louis and Gladys, her siblings Shirley H. Martin, Barbara H. Gruneisen, William Holzapfel (infant) and Robert Holzapfel; her husband of 24 years, Carl E. Wellendorff, and her husband of 27 years, Dr. Amory C. Smith. She is survived by: her children Carl Ernest Wellendorff (Marilyn), Robert Louis Wellendorff (Janice), Nancy W. Church and Joan M. Donhoff; her stepchildren Stephen C. Smith, Sally S. Bissonette and Sheryl Madden.

Betty found infinite love for her grandchildren Ashley Wellendorff, Lindsey McCrea, Kaitlyn Wellendorff, Jasmine Greenwell, Sabrina Whitman, Kyle Wellendorff, Neal Donhoff and Christopher Donhoff, her 6 step-grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

Betty's wonderful spirit has been a comfort to many throughout her 91 years. We will celebrate that spirit on November 1, at Caldwell Chapel (3801 Chapel Valley Way, 40205) on the campus of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, with visitation from 11:00 a.m. to noon, followed by a celebration of life from noon to 1:00 p.m.