ELIZABETH A. "BETTY" RAFFERTY

1939 - 2022

DUBOIS - Elizabeth A. "Betty" Rafferty, 82, of DuBois, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 at Christ the King Manor.

She was born on June 27, 1939, to the late Pearl William and Nora (Rafferty) Hoyt.

She married Norman Rafferty on April 14, 1959, at St. Bonaventure Roman Catholic Church in Grampian. He preceded her in death on May 17, 2020.

Betty graduated from Curwensville High School in 1957. She moved to Buffalo, N.Y., to work for Bell Telephone while living with her sister and her family. After their marriage, Betty and Norm settled in DuBois and started their family.

She was a loving, supportive wife and mother who always put her family's needs above her own. When she felt her children were old enough for her to work outside of her home, she took a part-time clerk position at Adamson's Store, a neighborhood market across from their home on Olive Avenue, saying she could keep an eye on things through the large windows. She went on to work at Matthew's Bookstore in downtown DuBois and Montgomery Ward at the DuBois Mall.

Betty rarely missed an event when her children were involved. School, church, sports or scouts, she would lend a hand. She was a "hands on" grandma who was always willing to babysit. She loved animals, especially the dachshund breed of dogs. She welcomed Snuffles, Nikki and Little into her family. She played pinochle with a women's monthly card club. The friendships were more important than the game. She was a meticulous seamstress, sewing beautiful dresses for herself and her daughters, Halloween costumes for her children and grandchildren, and lent her talent to family and friends. She had a "green thumb." Whether it was her wide variety of houseplants, flowerbeds or garden, Betty liked to dig in the dirt. She liked to draw and not just with a pencil and paper. She designed unique pie crusts with her paring knife. She enjoyed macrame and ceramics. Many of the items she made were shared as gifts.

Betty and Norm moved to Irishtown in Grampian, following his retirement. They enjoyed the scenery and wildlife of country living. They shared great adventures as they traveled the contiguous United States and Alaska in their fifth-wheel trailer. They celebrated 61 years of marriage.

Betty is survived by her four children, Phillip Rafferty and his wife Teresa of Alaska, Nanette Ivoska and her husband Edward of DuBois, Patricia Rafferty of New York and Christopher Rafferty and his wife Kristin of Colorado; five grandchildren, Steven Rafferty, Brooke Feasel, Sara Nedley, Alex Ivoska and Ava Rafferty; three great- granddaughters, Sophie Nedley, Nora and Mallory Feasel. She is also survived by a brother, John "Jack" Hoyt of Dubois; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Evelyn Knepp.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Baronick Funeral Home & Crematorium, Inc.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022 at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Msgr. Richard Siefer as celebrant.

The service will be livestreamed and can be viewed by going to facebook.com/duboisromancatholicchurches.

Burial will be at St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Grampian.

Dementia robbed Betty of her memories. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or alz.org in her memory as they strive for a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia. Memorial donations may also be made to Christ the King Manor, 1100 W. Long Ave., DuBois, PA 15801; or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Online condolences can be sent to www.baronickfuneralhome.com.