Betty Jane Slater

Betty Jane Slater, 79, of Brookline, Vermont formerly of Stratford, N.H and Saugus, MA, passed away peacefully in her home watching her birds and the snow after a long battle with multiple myeloma on January 29, 2022. It would be wrong to say Betty lost her battle to cancer because she truly gave it a northern New Hampshire girl fight for the past seven years!

Betty met her true love Joe Slater in 1965. They were married in 1966 and together they raised 2 children: Bruce Slater and Cheryl Slater.

Betty received her bachelor’s degree in education at Plymouth State College and absolutely loved being a teacher. She worked in various schools throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  However, she spent most of her career as a K-8 art teacher and lead art teacher in Chelsea, MA.  She loved her students and colleagues in Chelsea.  She was known for the great parties with lots of food and drinks with her work friends she cherished.

After 35 years of service, she retired from Chelsea, MA to her beautiful home that her love of her life Joe built for her in the Vermont woods. Here she made wonderful friends and connections.  She enjoyed volunteering and preparing food for the church and the food pantry. Betty was an active member of the Newfane Congregational Church. 

Betty was fantastic at making really anything with her hands. She was known for her delicious pickles and desserts.  She was an avid gardener and enjoyed spending time canning her garden vegetables and putting up preserves. She was a gifted artist, knitter, and crafter, making many lovely gifts for her grandchildren and family. Betty was incredibly proud of the Betty Crocker of N.H. Award she won in Stratford High School many moons ago but wanted all to remember this recognition.

Betty and Joe were avid world travelers.  They visited 47 of 50 states as well as Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. She shared this love of exploring with her daughter and grandchildren. She spent many summers and vacations showing them the world and ever the teacher, educating them on the importance of experiencing other cultures and areas.

Probably more than any else in her life, Betty’s greatest joy were her three grandchildren.  She loved spending time with them, especially watching her grandsons play football and her granddaughter recently graduate from college.  Her grandchildren will miss her dearly. They will remember her love and how well she expressed it in her cooking for them, birthday cakes, pies, chocolate chip cookies and animal shaped pancakes.

Betty is survived by her husband Joseph Slater, her son Bruce Slater, daughter Cheryl Slater and her husband Mike Walsh.  She is also survived by her brother Sherwood, whom she loved so deeply. She was the devoted Nana to Veronica, Chris, and Harry Walsh. She leaves her loving sister in laws Jackie Fluery, Debbie Albright, Karen Ondusko, Kathy Plummer, and her brother in law Ernie Martin.  She was fortunate to be an aunt to many beloved nieces and nephews as well.

She was preceded in death by her parents Cressey and Edith Fluery, sister in laws Maureen Hannan and Barbara Martin and many fun, silly cousins and aunts all waiting to tell jokes and have biscuits and dandelion greens with her.

A celebration of Betty’s life will be held at the Newfane Congregational Church, 11 Church St Newfane, Vt, on Saturday February 5 at 1pm. 

As Betty would want to protect her many loved ones, please wear a mask for the service and if you are unvaccinated from Covid-19 we appreciate your condolences and love, but respectfully ask you to refrain from attending the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Oncology Center for oncology community support fund or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) in her name:

BMH Attn: Development Office

17 Belmont Av

Brattleboro, Vt 05301

CFF Ma/RI Chapter

To make a donation please visit Betty Slater’s tribute page https://give.cff.org/tribute/Bettyslater

Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH