Elizabeth "Betty" Marsh

A matriarch in the truest sense of the word dies at 99.

Elizabeth Damon Marsh, known to most as "Betty" and to her family as "The Queen B," passed away peacefully in hospice care near her home in Vero Beach, Florida on October 27, 2025 following a major stroke.

In no surprise to those who knew her, Betty wrote her own obituary in 2020. What follows is a post-mortem edit by her family.

Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, Betty was the seventh of nine children to Charles Murray Damon Sr. and Eva Wells Damon. She graduated from Williamsburg High School where she put a fitting quote from William Shakespeare in her yearbook, "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety" before a list of 14 activities from concert to cheerleading. She knew herself well at an early age. She also attended Colby College and Northampton Commercial College.

She married her wartime pen pal, Fred James Marsh, in 1946. He was the love of her life; they lived together for 68 years until his death in 2014. The couple spent 25 years in North Adams, Massachusetts where she worked closely with her husband in his building company while they raised four boys. An excellent downhill skier, Betty enjoyed family ski weekends at Dutch Hill in Vermont.

They moved to Chatham, Massachusetts in 1970. In Chatham, Betty opened and ran a successful real estate office, Betty Marsh Real Estate, which she sold in 1986, setting a strong example for the women in her family to pursue careers outside of the home.

On the Cape, Betty and Fred hosted large family gatherings, holiday celebrations and social events for friends. A vivid storyteller, Betty regaled family and friends with tales of her boys' wayward teenage years and her own youthful adventures. A master baker, Betty delighted her eight grandchildren with countless baking sessions of her favorite recipes including Mexican Dip, Whoopie Pies and Magic Bars, the last two oftentimes delivered via express mail to college dorm rooms.

Her family remembers her most fondly for her unique relationships with each of the eight grandchildren – especially games of Parcheesi and UNO, back-to-school shopping trips and beach outings. Those bonds continued with her great-grandchildren as she rocked the babies and tickled the toddlers well into her 99th year. Even the simplest moments with her felt special because she was fully present - she made you feel like you were the only one in the room.

Her family extended beyond her kin to friends she'd spend hours reconnecting with on the phone, during weekly lunches and regular bridge games. Betty was a passionate and skilled bridge player. The game remained an important part of her life from North Adams to Chatham to Vero Beach. As she aged, she maintained a sharp and sprightly demeanor, leading many new acquaintances to guess she was 20 years younger. Recently, one of her transports in Vero Beach captured Betty's essence with the observation, "She gets under your skin and into your heart." Adding to her youthful longevity and spirit was her daily 5 o'clock cocktail followed by a Prosecco "in a wine glass" at dinnertime.

When she wasn't with her friends or family, Betty gave herself tirelessly to haritable groups including her sons' Cub Scouts Troops and Little Leagues, several churches, and Habitat for Humanity and the Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach. She held leadership positions in several clubs, was a member of Quail Valley Golf Club, Vero Beach Country Club and Vero Beach Bridge Center, and was an avid golfer and tennis player. She also enjoyed traveling internationally as well as within the United States.

Betty is survived by her four sons, Bill Marsh of Chatham; Jim Marsh of Chatham and his wife Cynthia; Tom Marsh of San Antonio, Texas and his partner Janise Saul; and John Marsh of Sun Valley, Idaho and his wife Anne Winton. She is also survived by special family friends Pam Marsh and Mary Ann Harwood, both of Chatham, and her eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. Her grandchildren are Aaron Marsh, his partner Alana Roemer and their daughter Adeline of Chatham; John Marsh, his partner Andrea Warner and their children Aubrey and Bailey of Chatham; Julia Marsh Cohen, her husband Shawn Cohen and their children Sadie and Simon of Washington, D.C.; Debra Mills, her husband Bryan Mills and their children Kaylee, Billy and Stryker of Spring Branch, Texas; Alex Marsh, his wife Lianne Sheffy and their children Zev and Remy of Westport, Connecticut; Lauren Powers, her husband Rob Powers and their children Carson, Emilia and Fitz of Boston, Massachusetts; Ketchum Marsh of Nashville, Tennessee; and Colby Marsh of Sun Valley, Idaho. Betty is also survived by her sister Joan Coughlin of Trumbull, Connecticut as well as many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held this coming summer in Chatham, Massachusetts on what would have been her 100th birthday, July 26, 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VNA Hospice House, 901 37th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960, and to Monomoy Community Services, 166 Depot Road, Chatham, MA 02633.

Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.