Betty J Bush

Betty J. (Smith) Bush, 86, of Manchester, NH passed away March 15, 2013 at Massachusetts General Hospital following a short illness. The daughter of Harmon A. Smith and Evelyn E. (Dorr) Smith was born November 6, 1926 in Agawam, MA. Betty graduated from Agawam High School and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Springfield, MA. She worked at Wing Memorial Hospital, Palmer MA prior to her marriage to Dr. Robert T. Bush, M.D. They made their home in Northborough, MA where she raised their 4 children.

Betty was active as a volunteer with the Red Cross and the Girl Scouts of America as well as the Northborough Garden Club, St. Bernadette's Women's Guild and the Ladies Auxiliary Board of Marlborough Hospital. She was a past-president of the Northborough Women's Club.

Following her husband's death in 1971, she worked at Westborough State Hospital relocating to NH in 1982. She retired from Caldor's, Bedford NH in 1996. She was a Friend of Lois and a communicant of Sacred Heart Church, Manchester, NH.

In addition to her husband, Betty is predeceased by her parents; twin brother Ward; brother Harmon A. "Pat" (Margaret) Smith; brother in law Dr. James F. Bush; sister in law Dr. Cecelia A. Bush; and sister in law Betty (Nash) Smith.

Betty is survived by her children Kathleen Lacouture; Eileen (Octavio) DaFraga; Robert Bush; Margaret (Gary Starta) Bush; grandchildren Christopher (Kelly) Lacouture; Eric (Julie) Lacouture; great-grandchildren Skylar Lacouture, Evelyn Lacouture and Charlotte Lacouture; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial service will be held in Manchester at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Massachusetts Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-Mass), 400 W. Cummings Park, Suite 6650, Woburn, MA 01801 (www.namimass.org).