Elizabeth H. Beal, 89, of Bennington, Vermont passed away peacefully on May 2, 2023. Elizabeth, known as Betty to her friends and June to her family, was born on June 12, 1933 in New York, NY, to the late Henry and Elizabeth (Bassett) Holt. She attended schools in New York City and later junior college in Pennsylvania. She married Alger Beal in 1955. Their daughters, Cynthia, Susan and Linda, were born in Newburgh, NY over the next 7 years. Their son, Renny, was born 1 ½ years later in Weston, CT. In 1968 they moved Tacoma, WA where they lived until moving to Bennington VT in 1975 to take up stewardship of Alger's stepfather's farm.

Betty was happiest when surrounded by children and dogs or involved in creative projects. She was generous with her time and money, giving both to organizations and individuals who touched her heart and fulfilled her desire to be of service to others, both human and animal. Betty had a real soft spot for abandoned and abused animals, taking in dozens of strays and finding loving homes for countless others. She sewed many hundreds of teddy bears through the years for hospitalized children and as gifts for people, young and old, whom she felt needed love and comfort. In her last years she knitted hundreds of baby blankets which were distributed to newborns in area hospitals.

In addition to her passion for helping others, Betty had a mischievous sense of humor and childlike playfulness, as well as a great fondness for butterscotch, caramel corn, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

Betty is survived by her daughters Susan Beal and her husband David Pearson, Linda Beal and her husband Daniel Rowe, son Renny Beal and his wife Jennifer Crawford Beal, brother Henry Holt, grandchildren Claire, Ethåan, Anna, Holley, and Rylan and her great-grandson Hudson. She was predeceased by her husband Alger and daughter Cynthia. Services will be held at 11:00 on June 24th at Second Congregational Church, Bennington VT. The family invites those who wish to honor Betty's memory to make donations to The Harmony Fund, which supports small, courageous, animal rescue teams around the planet – https://harmonyfund.org/donation/donate/.