Betty Savenor

Bessie Carmell Savenor, more commonly known as Betty, age 94 years, of Lexington and Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Sarasota, Florida died peacefully in her sleep on May 30, 2022 in Westford, Massachusetts.

Born in Boston on September 2, 1927 to Harry and Sally (née Savage) Carmell, she was the older sister of Anita Carmell Hamelburg, now deceased. Happily married 54 years to the late Jack Savenor of Vilna, Lithuania and Chelsea, Massachusetts, they met in Boston when she was hit by a car. A bystander, he came to her rescue and literally swept her off her feet. They went on to raise a family of three boys and two grandchildren. Later in life she found many years of happiness with Martin Black (99) of Sarasota.

A talented artist since childhood, she started classes at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 9th grade, attended the Jackson Von Ladau School of Fashion, earned a BFA at Massachusetts College of Art, studio work at Brandeis and the DeCordova Museum. Her work is represented in many private, permanent, and corporate collections, and garnered recognition in solo and juried shows world-wide. She was also a founding member of the Depot Square Artists. A true and equal business partner to her husband, she also followed her passion for art with single-mindedness, a trait she shared with Jack's best customer, Julia Child. She infrequently had the challenging task of cooking for Julia and her husband, Paul, when Jack invited them to dinner at their house in Lexington. Julia's favorite of Betty's was stuffed veal breast. She was a lifelong tennis player and dedicated swimmer, two things she learned from her father, Harry, who lived to 102 (d. 2002) and ignited her passion for art and life, long ago.

She is survived by son Alan and his wife, Nichole of Belmont, MA; son Ronald Dan and his wife Amanda of Acton, MA; grandchildren (children of Ron), Oliver and Isabel; and step-grandchildren (stepsons of Alan), Brent Thomas Bookwalter and Eric Wallace Bookwalter. Also, deeply devoted niece, Judy Carmell of Biscayne Park, Florida; and daughter-in-law Dura Winder, widow of son Barry. Predeceased were husband Jack (d. 2000); son Barry (d. 2003); and sister Anita (d. 2020).

There will be a Graveside Service on Thursday, June 2 at Westview Cemetery, 520 Bedford Street, Bedford, MA, and a small gathering following the ceremony at Alan and Nichole's home in Belmont.

No flowers please. "My goal is to capture the beauty and drama of nature with its abundant manifestations in an emotional identification beyond the purely visual." BCS .