Betty was born on May 15, 1932, in Bronx, NY, to her mother, Catherine Dreska. Betty was predeceased by her husband of 48 years, William R. Hood, and her son, Robert W. Hood.
Betty is survived by her children, Steven (Fran) Hood, Christine Aldridge, and David Hood; her grandchildren, Robert, Nicholas, and Dylan Hood, Melissa (Hood) Arconti, Jillian (Hood) Carlisle, Teresa Hood, Meghan (Aldridge) Cordoano, Kaitlin Aldridge, Brandon and Connor Hood. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, William and Ellie Arconti, Rylan Hood and Mackenzie Cordoano.
Betty was one of the original employees at Candlewood Pharmacy in New Fairfield, CT where her friendly smile and kind demeanor brightened the lives of customers, until her retirement at the age of 75. She committed numerous hours volunteering as a member of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Putnam Lake Fire Department.
Above all and most importantly, Betty was a dedicated homemaker, devoted mother, and grandmother. She was always cooking or baking for her family and she loved to knit, crochet, and do needlepoint. In her younger years, Betty was a talented seamstress who not only sewed for her family she also did alterations for a local dry cleaner. During retirement, Betty could often be found outdoors tending to her lawn and gardens and she was never afraid to tackle a home project. Throughout the years, as someone who had a love for animals, she welcomed countless stray cats, a dog or two, and even a baby raccoon into her home.
It is an understatement to say that Betty lived her life selflessly with humility and grace. Always giving, never asking, always the first to ask “What can I do to help?" She showed quiet resilience no matter the obstacle she faced. She was grateful no matter the size of a gesture, from a simple phone call to a surprise 90th birthday party. Betty was a thoughtful gift giver, always searching for the perfect item, knew the right thing to say, and never missed a special date. She cherished every milestone, from school plays to graduations, and celebrated each one with a special card or commemorative Beanie Baby. We will all miss her birthday cards that contained a little bit of cash and the note “Treat yourself."
Betty was the heart of our family and made each of us feel as though we were the most special person in the world. She leaves behind nothing but beautiful memories and though she will be greatly missed, she will be loved and cherished forever.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at St. Joseph Church, Danbury. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, New Fairfield.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Betty’s memory may be made to the New Fairfield Sherman Animal Welfare Society, 223 Route 37 New Fairfield, CT 06812, or JDRF at JDRF PO Box 5021, Hagerstown, MD, 21741-5021. Links for online donations are provided below.
https://www.nfsaw.org/donate
https://www2.jdrf.org/site/Donation
