Betty-Jean Law

Betty-Jean (Wright) Law, 86, of Ormond Beach, FL passed away on Saturday May 11, 2013. A private celebration of her life (will be/has been) held on Tuesday, May 14, at 4pm at Volusia Memorial. Interment will be at the Jacksonville National Cemetery on Wednesday, May 15, at 10am.

B-J was born on May 7, 1927 in Ithaca, NY. She attended Cornell University, studying Home Economics with a focus on childcare, nutrition, and clothing. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. At Cornell, she met Sidney Law and they were married in Springfield, MA in August 1948.

She was a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, began a cooperative kindergarten in East Longmeadow, and taught sewing, cooking and nutrition to Head Start groups in needy areas. She started a girls softball league in New Britain when organized sports were not available to girls, and participated with Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Boys & Girls Clubs with her children. She served as a board member for Life Village in Ormond Beach, and volunteered sewing for residents at various nursing homes and as a substitute teacher and librarian.

Betty-Jean enrolled in the Bahá'í Faith in 1968, and was very active throughout her life in Springfield, MA, New Britain, CT, and Ormond Beach, FL. She was a leader, holding various positions at the local and state level. She taught at and attended Green Acre Bahá'í School in Eliot, ME, went on Pilgrimage with son Jim Law, to Iran and Israel in 1971 and participated in the Bahá'í World Congress in 1992.

B-J “collected” other adult children from her local communities, as a loving friend, mother, advisor, and sounding board to all. She loved traveling, camping, and visiting her children and family around the country and the world. She moved to Ormond Beach in 1985 from New Britain, CT. Any moment possible she spent visiting the Atlantic Ocean, whether in the waves or on the beach, as this renewed her spirit and touched her soul.

She is preceded in death by her parents Chilton Wright and Jean Errington, her husband Sidney Law, sister Marjorie Mueller, brother-in-law Robert Mueller, and sister-in-law Barbara Greemore. Survivors include her three daughters Ruth “Sandy” (Jon) Desilets of Groton, VT, Barbie (Ed) Schinitis of Plainville, CT, Nancy Law (Karen Andersen) of Brooktondale, NY, two sons Jim (Roberta) Law of the Netherlands and Tom (MiMi) Law of Germantown, MD, her sister-in-law Mary (George) Goding of Rochester, VT, her brother-in-law Gerry Greemore of Virginia, “other” children Del and Cindy McFazden of Deland, FL, and many beloved nieces and nephews. Betty-Jean has four grandchildren, Kerry, Lisa, Jim and Charlie, and nine great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in memory of Betty-Jean to hospice: either your local hospice organization or www.americanhospice.org/donate or to Let’s Move (the First Lady’s campaign to end childhood obesity through nutrition and education, and teach children to grow, prepare/cook, and eat healthy foods) via www.letsmove.gov to find the lead organization accepting donations for your area.

Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.volusiamemorialfunerals.com Arrangements are under the care and trust of Volusia Memorial Funeral Home, 548 N. Nova Rd., Ormond Beach, FL