Obituary of Elizabeth Turner Taylor

Elizabeth Turner Taylor, 90, of State College, passed away on Monday, June 5, 2023, at The Village at Penn State.

Born September 1, 1932, in Evanston, IL, "Betsy" was the daughter of the late John Armstrong and Elizabeth Date Turner. Her husband of almost 70 years, Alfred Hendricks Taylor ("Ted"), survives her.

She is also survived by four children: John H. Taylor and his wife, Laurie, of Durham, NC; Libby Taylor of Boalsburg, PA; Jeff Taylor and his wife, Lolly, of Cincinnati, OH; and Ann Taylor and her husband, Marty Gutowski, of State College, PA; as well as 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

In 1950, Betsy graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. She attended Pembroke College, the Women's College of Brown University, as a double major in Theater and English and an active member of several singing and theater groups. She also served as the Vice President of her class.

Betsy and Ted married on September 29, 1953, at the Glencoe Union Church in Illinois. They enjoyed a wonderful life together, full of love, family, travel, and friends. Betsy was a zealous volunteer her entire life and held leadership roles in numerous community organizations throughout her life. A listing of positions she held spans two typed pages. She also utilized her leadership skills for almost two decades as the pro shop manager at Orchard Lake Country Club, helping to support the college educations of all four of their children. Betsy was an avid reader, gardener, and knitter who either joined or began groups related to these interests everywhere she lived!

Betsy and Ted moved to The Village at Penn State in 2011. There she was heavily active in a great many volunteer roles including the Estate Sales, the Knitting Group, the Book Club, the 7 o'Clock Lecture Series, and the Newcomers' Welcome Group. Betsy absolutely loved her years living at The Village, especially the valuable friendships she made. Betsy was also a member of the State College Presbyterian Church, where she will be inurned in their beautiful Columbarium and Memorial Garden.

Betsy had close ancestral ties to the family of Moses Thompson and loved serving as a docent at the Centre Furnace Mansion, the former home of the ironmaster, for many years. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Centre County Historical Society (https://centrehistory.org/).

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences may be entered at https://kochfuneralhome.com/.