Elizabeth Ann Spring

Elizabeth Ann Spring, of Pompton Plains, passed away peacefully at home after a lengthy illness on Saturday, September 28, 2024. She was 88.
Known to all as Betty Ann, she was the first-born child of Leonard (100% Italian) and Elizabeth Spano (nee Lynch...100% Irish). They lived in the Flatbush Neighborhood of Brooklyn, and all who knew Betty often chuckled at the distinct Brooklyn accent she spoke her entire life. She graduated from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School for Girls. Betty Ann received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the State University of New York Teacher's College at Potsdam. She had a 42-year career as an Algebra and Geometry Mathematics Teacher in the Pequannock Township School System, most of those years at PTHS. Pretty much anyone in Pequannock Township had "Mrs. Spring" for a math teacher (or knew someone who did).
Betty Ann's family, along with many of her mother's Irish relatives, owned six cabins on Shady Lake in West Milford, NJ. Shady Lake was where she ultimately met her future husband, Conrad, whose family had cabins on the other side of the lake (known as the German side!). Summer days spent lounging by the Shady Lake community pool and evenings dancing in the Clubhouse led to a long-distance romance throughout their college years. Betty Ann still has 4 bundles of hand-written letters- one bundle for each year of college- tied with a shiny gold bow, as she received a letter from Connie every single day while away at school.
Betty Ann and Connie got married upon graduation and shortly after bought a house for $22K in Pompton Plains that would remain theirs for the next 64 years. They quickly had four children (in four years) and the Spring Family House on Hill Court became the place to be. Friends and family were always welcomed into their home- where years upon years of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served along with packed diningroom tables overflowing with food, huge backyard barbeques with bratwurst and weisswurst on the grill, and many a late-night party with music blaring on the reel-to-reel in the downstairs "big-people's playroom".
Betty Ann was such an amazing cook- known for her Italian cooking and especially her lasagna, meatballs, Friday-night spaghetti with clam sauce, and chicken with mushrooms in wine sauce. She could effortlessly prepare a meal for over a dozen people all while dressed to the nines with her hair done and nails painted and jewelry on. Her father instilled in her a love of seafood and nothing could stop her from calamari, scungilli, octopus, anchovies, smoked oysters, steamed clams (served with her homemade clam broth), and of course, lobsters.
She loved her paperback books, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, Scrabble (playing words no one else ever heard of), any card game, and was also involved in a Bridge Club for many years.
Betty Ann was a devoted 64-year parishioner at Our Lady of Good Counsel Roman Catholic Church in Pompton Plains where she served as a Eucharistic Minister and an Usher.
She loved travelling to the Caribbean Islands, Bermuda, Hawaii, Hilton Head-- anywhere with sun and water. Her favorite destination was with her children and grandchildren vacationing in Maine, whether it was at the Five Kezar Ponds in North Waterford or at Moosehead Lake in Greenville. She would come armed every year with the same laminated checklist so nothing was forgotten. Sitting on a dock or the pontoon boat with her book and a frozen margarita made Betty Ann very happy!
Betty Ann was predeceased by her husband, Conrad Spring, in 2019, and her son, Brian Spring, in 2020. She is survived by her three daughters-Kathleen Spring of Irmo, SC, Susan Spring Smith of Pompton Plains, and Linda Mycock and her husband, Jim of Windham, ME; her daughter-in-law Stacy Spring, of Kinnelon; her five grandchildren-James Smith, Megan Lipford and her husband Andrew, Joseph Mycock, Elizabeth Mycock, and Melissa Spring and her partner Brad Schuler; her great-grand daughter, Berkley Lipford; her sister, Sister Mary D. Spano and her two sisters-in-law Carol Farbanish and husband, Robert, and Elizabeth Newkirk and husband, Gary.
Betty Ann is also survived by Gemma Morido and her husband, Rey, of Jersey City. Gemma came to the Spring Family in 2019 through Assisting Seniors in Pompton Plains, and has been with Betty Ann ever since, as her full-time, in-home caregiver, and she will forever be an amazing friend and member of the Spring Family. Gemma's compassion and love for her "Lola" is unmatched. She truly is an angel sent from Heaven.
Memorial Visitation will be held from 4-9 PM on Monday, October 7, 2024 at Scanlan's. A Memorial Mass will be held 10 AM Tuesday, October 8 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Betty Ann's memory to The John Theurer Cancer Center, The National Aphasia Association, or The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth.