Betty Seifert

Betty was the eldest of four children born to Marvin Leon Morris and Cleo Mae Bird. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School, she received a double major in library science, and chemistry from Texas Women’s University in Denton. After traveling around Europe both with friends, and alone, she returned to Texas, and then “ran away to New York.”

In New York, she earned a master’s degree in Library Science from Rutgers, worked at the veterans library, and opened a weaving studio where she did sample weaving for textile manufacturers and taught the fiber arts. In 1965 she met and fell in love with Walter Seifert; a choir leader with “the most beautiful voice”. They married in 1970 and were each other‘s beloved half for 54 years. They had two ceremonies; the first was a free-spirited hippie ceremony in Central Park, New York, where Betty purchased her flowers from a street vendor on the way to the ceremony. The second, official, event was in Philadelphia, PA, in 1971, where a minister friend provided the legal ceremony.

Betty was courageous, loving, and spirited. She loved arts of all kinds and was a boundless source of energy, positivity, kindness, and knowledge for others. Among her talents were, knitting, weaving, sewing, spinning, dyeing, drawing, and painting. She particularly enjoyed educating people about the fiber arts. One of her passions was passing on knowledge to the next generation at different events in, and around, Calvert County, MD.

Betty and Walter lived in California as hippies for about a year before returning to New York in early 1971 to start a family. Their son Eli was born in July 1971. Two days before Christmas in 1972 Betty, Walter, and Eli moved to Maine to live off the grid. They stayed in a friend’s home in Mt. Vernon until early spring when they moved into a tent on their own plot of land in Belgrade where they built a cabin. During this time, Betty again opened a weaving studio, where she taught classes. They lived at the cabin until it was destroyed by lightning. They returned to Mt. Vernon, and lived in Betty’s weaving studio. Their daughter, Sara Marguerite joined them in April 1981.

In 1982, Betty obtained a job as a conservator working to preserve the Ronson ship in Massachusetts. The family moved to Townsend, MA and then bought a house in Groton the following year.

In summer of 1988 Betty and Marguerite moved to South Portland, Maine, where Betty worked at the Spring Point Museum conserving the ship ‘Snow Squall’; which she helped retrieve from the Falkland Islands. In spring of 1989, when Betty was given the opportunity to help design a new lab, she and Marguerite moved to Annapolis, Maryland. Betty assisted in the design and construction of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab). In 1994 they relocated to Lusby, Maryland and Betty continued her employment with the State of Maryland. Working at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM) over the next 30 years, Betty held many roles at JPPM and the MAC Lab. The position most dear to her heart was that of curator for the Patterson House and Gardens once owned by Mr. and Mrs. Patterson. She was fascinated by the history and the beauty of the location.

In 1990 Betty and her friend Janet Dalton founded the Calvert Spinners and Weavers Guild. As part of the Guild, Betty learned new techniques, taught others the ones she knew, and created opportunities to pass on their collective knowledge to the younger generations. Without fail, Betty was ready to teach weaving during Children’s Day on the Farm at JPPM. She loved seeing all their bright faces and engaging their curiosity. She also made sure each child took home something that they themselves created.

Throughout Betty’s life she was a committed and faithful friend to many people. She invited a diverse cadre of human beings into her heart and her life. Betty was a unique and remarkable woman who is deeply missed by family, friends, and colleagues.

Betty was a deeply loving mother and grandmother. She is survived by her son Eli Seifert and her daughter Sara Marguerite Seifert, as well as her grandchildren, Charles Seifert-Watson Ross, Liam Seifert-Ross, Morgan Seifert-Ross and Brandon Seifert-Ross. Betty is also survived by her siblings Bill Morris, Marvin Morris, and Nancy King, as well as two nieces; Rachel and Ruth, and two nephews; Kevin and Keith.