Betsy Darby

NORTHFIELD—Betsy Treat Beers Darby, 86, died Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007, at Mayo Healthcare in Northfield. She was formerly a resident at The Gardens in Williamstown.

She was born December 26, 1920, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the daughter of Arthur Clinton Treat and Ruby (Stevens) Beers.

She graduated from Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Conn., and then attended a two-year secretarial school. After that, she worked at the Phoenix Mutual Insurance Co. in New Haven, Conn. for two years.

She married Darwin S. Darby May 16, 1942, in New Haven. They lived in New Haven until moving to their new home, which they built, in Orange, Conn.

She worked at Yale University graduate school for five years and later worked 17 years in the office of the first selectman of the Town of Orange, Conn., until retiring in 1982. They moved to Sarasota, Fla. in 1985.

She moved to Williamstown in 2001. Her memberships included the Orange (Conn.) Congregational Church and the Mary Clapp Wooster Chapter of the D.A.R. in Hamden, Conn. She was a former member of the First Congregational Church of Sarasota. She enjoyed being with her family and her dogs and, in earlier years, she liked horseback riding.

Survivors include a daughter, Betsy Hale, and her husband, Richard, of Brookfield; a son, Darwin "Steve" Darby, Jr., and his wife, Nina Donati, of Derby; four grandchildren, Jeffrey Hale, Susan Wellman, Ryan Darby and Blythe Keane; and nine great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband in 2001, and a sister, Janet Chidsey.

Memorial services will be held at The Gardens in Williamstown Friday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. There will be a graveside service at a later date in Orange, Conn.

Friends may make memorial contributions to the Central Vermont Humane Society, PO Box 687, Montpelier, Vt., 05601. Local arrangements are under the direction of the Day Funeral Home of Randolph.

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