Edward William Bettke

Shrewsbury - Edward Bettke, 97, of Southgate, Shrewsbury, passed away Saturday, June 14, 2025 after a brief illness.  He was the husband of the late Shirley (McCutcheon) Bettke for over forty years until her death in 1993.  Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Ed was the son of the late Edward and Bertha (Boehm) Bettke.

He is survived by his son, Mark Bettke and his wife, Faith Lavallee, of Sutton, MA, his daughter, Janet Bovaird and her husband, Wayde, of Holden, MA, and his daughter, Debra Buxton and her husband, Richard, of Boylston, MA. He leaves behind three grandsons, Richard Buxton and his wife, Caitlyn, of Manchester, NH, Tanner Buxton and his fiancée, Lindsey Bosak, of East Haven, CT, and Cody Edward Bovaird and girlfriend Lexi Grill, of Oxford, MA. He also leaves behind one great-grandson, Theodore Buxton, of Manchester, NH, his beloved niece, Lisa Bettke, and several other nieces and nephews. He leaves behind his longtime companion, Ruth Farrell of Naples, FL and her daughter, Patty McGreevey of NYC.

He was a Naples, Florida resident for many years living at Bear’s Paw Country Club enjoying golf and serving several of those years as Treasurer of the condo association. He spent his summers in Sutton, MA as well as golfing at Worcester Country Club, where he has been a member since 1968. He enjoyed golfing with his three children.

A devout Lutheran, Ed was a member of Ev. Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton, and Grace Lutheran Church in Naples, FL during his residency there.

He attended St. Andrew Lutheran Grammar School and Kelly High School before graduating from Northwestern University. He played the clarinet and saxophone. One of his fondest memories includes being in the Northwestern Marching Band that performed at the Rose Bowl in 1949.

He worked for Wyman–Gordon Company for 34 years, during which time he attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. At Wyman-Gordon, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Director before retiring in 1988. Even after retirement, Ed continued to serve in numerous financial and advisory positions, including Board of Governors, Finance Committee and Treasurer of Worcester Country Club and Investment Committee member of Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, Financial Executives International, and Treasurers Club of Boston. He served in an advisory capacity for many other profit and nonprofit organizations.

He is predeceased by his son, Edward Bettke II, two brothers, George Bettke and Norman Bettke and one sister, Lorraine (Bettke) Konow.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours on from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 19th at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden. A funeral service will held at the funeral home, at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 20th with burial immediately following at Grove Cemetery, Holden. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ed’s memory can be made to Evangelical Trinity Lutheran Church, 117 Chace St, Clinton, MA 01510 or Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd, Sturbridge, MA 01566.