Elizabeth Carol "Betsy" Hood

Elizabeth Carol "Betsy" Hood, lovingly known as "Nana," 86, of Broomfield, Colorado, passed away at her home on November 12, 2025. On the evening just before her passing, the aurora borealis lit the sky above Broomfield in a way almost never seen there, a rare and beautiful display her family will always associate with her journey home to God.

Betsy was born on February 18, 1939, in Denver, Colorado, to Michael Brunetti Sr. and Angelina (Ambrosio) Brunetti, Italian immigrants from Calabria and Monte Corvino. She grew up in North Denver as the second-to-last of ten siblings. She later lived in Westminster and spent the last 53 years in Broomfield, where her home became the heart of family life for multiple generations. She married Albert G. Hood, and together they raised their two children, Terri and Albert. Much of her life was devoted to being a homemaker, but she also worked outside the home as an executive assistant and salon manager, bringing warmth, competence, and care to everything she did.

To those who loved her, Betsy was many things at once: a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin, neighbor, and friend. Family was the center of her universe. Nothing mattered more to her than her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews. She always made people feel welcome and genuinely enjoyed conversations that got beneath the surface. Nobody stayed a stranger for long around her. She became the "other mom" to many, and all the friends of her children and grandchildren called her Nana. Her love language was food, and you could not leave her house without being fed in some way.

Betsy was a cook extraordinaire who could turn an ordinary Sunday into a feast and every holiday into an event. Her Italian specialties were famous in the family, from her rich red sauce and bracioles to her pasta and meatballs, and her pizzelles were a staple at celebrations. She even made an amazing green chile that became another family favorite. At the holidays, there was never a shortage of food, with traditional American dishes served alongside the Italian recipes everyone looked forward to year after year.

Music, laughter, and gathering together were woven into the fabric of her life. Elvis and classic country with that familiar steel-guitar sound often played in the background, and she loved listening to her family play music, whether at home or out. No matter the season, she showed up in the stands or the audience, cheering at sports games, clapping at concerts, and celebrating every milestone as if it were the most important moment in the world. She filled her summers planting pots with geraniums, petunias, impatiens, and hydrangeas, and she took special pride in the purple clematis that climbed up and over the wall. She loved playing cards of all kinds and could often be found in one of her cute and cozy jumpsuits, ready for company, a card game, or a long talk. When people were sick, struggling, or nearing the end of their lives, Betsy was always the one who showed up and stayed. She sat by bedsides, brought food, offered comfort, and quietly did whatever needed to be done, almost as if she felt it was a sacred duty entrusted to her.

Nana was love, pure and simple. Her care did not stop at the edges of her immediate family; it flowed outward to friends, neighbors, and friends of friends until she became "Nana" to a wide, extended circle. If you needed a hug, something to eat, or a pep talk, she was there, often beginning with her familiar greeting, "Hi honey!" Raised Catholic and later a non-denominational Christian, Betsy carried a strong and steady faith in God. Her life, her generosity, and the way she loved others were a testament to that faith, to her belief in heaven, and to her confidence that she would one day be reunited there with the family who had gone before her and those who would come after.
Betsy was preceded in death by her parents, Michael Brunetti Sr. and Angelina (Ambrosio) Brunetti; her former husband, Albert G. Hood; her siblings Lucille (Mike) Johns, Marie (Louie) Pietrafeso, Theresa (Lawrence) Gordon, Viola (Morris) Hoffman, Michael (Gloria) Brunetti Jr., Dorothy (Clarence) Lee, Adeline (Fritz) Cramblit, and Shirley (Bill) Cech; and a great-grandson, Bruin Hood. She is survived by her brother Joseph (Barb) Brunetti; her children Terri (Kurt) Wederquist and Albert M. (Michelle) Hood; her grandchildren Jared (Sherry) Thompson, Jennifer (Robert) Thompson, Zach (Holly) Hood, Nick (Ja'nee) Hood, and Jordan (Morgyn) Hood; her great-grandchildren Ayla, Maverick, Isabella, Braxton, Harper, Henley, Camille, and Hendrix; her step-grandson Collin Wederquist; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and friends who all knew her simply as Nana.

A celebration of Betsy's life will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Flatirons Community Church, 355 W South Boulder Road, Lafayette, Colorado 80026. A reception will follow at The Acreage, 1380 Horizon Ave, Lafayette, Colorado 80026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In keeping with her spirit, there are no specific charities requested; instead, the family invites you to honor Betsy by carrying on her legacy: let the people closest to you know how much you love them, gather around the table, and show up for the ones who matter most.

For all who knew her, the world feels smaller only because a little Italian lady who always told it like it was, a 4-foot-11, 105-pound force of nature with equal parts love and feistiness, has left such a profound imprint on this life. She could make you laugh, set you straight, and fill your plate all in the same breath, and that combination will be deeply missed. This is one of the hardest seasons her family and friends have ever faced, but what a gift that they got to love someone so much that saying goodbye hurts this deeply. Her family loves her from here to eternity and finds comfort in believing that she now rests in God's light, reunited with those she loved, free from pain, and watching over the family she cherished. Her laughter, her cooking, her fierce love, and the countless memories she created will live on in every story told around the table and in every "Hi honey" spoken in her honor.