Betty Tilton

WINTHROP- Betty Ann Hodsdon 90, born October 10,1934 passed away peacefully with her daughter by her side at Glenridge Longterm Care in Augusta. Betty was born in Readfield to Ed and Ruth Hodsdon. She grew up in Winthrop, graduating from Winthrop High School in 1953 with high honors. She worked weekends at Wilson's Dept. store on Main St. during her high school years, meeting Richard E. Thompson through a friend of hers who was in the Coast Guard with him. They married in 1954 first, living in Dover, NH and then raising their three surviving children in Kittery.
Four children: Steve, Dennis, Jim, and Janice. Betty loved nothing more than the occasions when she had a houseful of family to take care of, spoil, cook and bake for. She was an extraordinary cook, loved being in her kitchen creating, canning, making everyone's favorite meals and desserts. I remember fondly and proudly bringing friends home after school or on weekends, and "Mrs. T's" kitchen smelling of freshly baked brownies, apple pies, and chocolate chip cookies. She didn't need to ask us twice to sit with a glass of milk and sample her savory wares. Our friends all adored her. She welcomed, young and old, with open arms. And everyone knew her in Kittery from her days at Frisbee Jr. High as the omnipresent secretary to the principal, Clinton Phinney.
Betty was constantly involved in her children's lives, shuttling Steve and Jim back and forth to various sports activities, being a den mother to daughter Janice's Brownie/Girl Scout troupe and attending hundreds of baseball and basketball games from Little League through high school as a spirited and vocal supporter.
She worked at Indian Head National Bank in Portsmouth, NH following her secretarial days at Frisbee Jr. High in the early 70's, before moving back to her beloved hometown of Winthrop, after remarrying Philip Tilton and living in Portsmouth for a number of years, raising their two sons, Mark and John. Betty and Phil were very active with the Portsmouth HS Band, of which son John was a tuba player, helping organize and chaperoning annual band trips to Virginia and Washington for major Springtime band competitions.
Betty thrived in Winthrop being surrounded by her large and adoring family there. She worked for many years with restitution within the Kennebec County court system in Augusta under the Assistant DA, Paul Ruscha in the Kennebec County Courthouse.
Betty loved being visited by her children and grandchildren in Winthrop. During school vacations Betty and Phil enjoyed hosting and entertaining grandchildren Dawn and Steven, daughter Janice's two kids, from Rye, NH. Or Steve's son Gordie Thompson. And later on, her beloved "Swedish grandson Jonathan, from Goteborg, Sweden would spend summers with his "Farmor".
Betty could often be found gardening, preparing for late summer canning, baking and laying in of supplies for winter, often joined by one of her beloved dogs who were never far away. She and Phil enjoyed trips to Moosehead Lake with her brother Ron and his family, staying at his remote camp there for occasional weekends or ice fishing in winter. Betty loved her family reunions. Quite often her lawn would be crowded in summer with the extended families of brothers Ron and Bob and her dear sister Beverley. Dozens of family members, scattered and scurrying in the big yard between her daughter Janice's house and hers, catching up on family news and telling "stories" not all to be believed, as the Hodsdon family's proclivity for embellishing tales was legendary.
In later years, after Betty retired, she was well cared for and still surrounded by her Winthrop family. Daughter Janice was always nearby, doting and supporting, encouraging, loving and caring for her as she slowly slipped into the fogs of dementia. She was acutely aware of and ever appreciative of Janice's devotion until the end this past week.