Sarah Elizabeth Halls

June 5, 1925 -- August 6, 2022

Betty was a summer baby, born June 5, 1925, into a family with two older sisters, Polly and Susan, and parents Goode and Mary Heaslett. It was a good childhood with lots of love. They lived in Birmingham, Alabama, and Betty never lost her southern accent. Both her parents came from large families so there were always aunts, uncles and cousins around. Betty was the family tomboy, always trying to keep up with her Heaslett cousins, all boys.

She graduated from Auburn University in 1947 and soon got on the train to California with a fellowship to study physical therapy at Stanford University. Shortly after she arrived in Palo Alto, she met a handsome Army lieutenant one Sunday morning as they waited for the bus to their respective churches – hers was Baptist and his Presbyterian. Alex Halls was at Stanford for an MBA courtesy of the U.S. Army. A romance developed and they were married in June 1948. And then it was the traveling life as a family!

Betty was born with a strong urge to travel and made a great Army wife. Wherever they were stationed, Betty was soon an active member of the community through volunteering – Sunday School teacher, Girl Scout leader, Red Cross volunteer, Officer Wives Club. She did her best to make each house a welcoming home, even when that house was a decommissioned hospital ward at Ft Carson, Colorado. She was an expert in packing up a household quickly for the next move.

Betty and Alex raised four children who were all born in a different state or country: New York, Virginia, Okinawa, France. In 1968, the family moved to Potomac, Maryland where they bought a house for the first time and found Geneva Presbyterian Church shortly after. Betty and Alex were devoted members of the church which provided their social life as well as a spiritual home. They were both active volunteers there.

Over the years, Betty taught Sunday School, worked at the Women’s Interfaith Clothing Closet in Rockville, and was a valued Red Cross volunteer at Bethesda Naval Hospital. She taught her children the importance of visiting (and bringing food) to the sick, the bereaved, and the lonely. Their house was a welcoming place for all visitors and kith and kin. Thanksgiving and Christmas could find as many as 20 people around the table.

Alex died in 1993, and Betty moved to Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg in 2000 as a young 75-year-old. She immediately became an active member of the community, taking advantage of all on offer. She was an avid bridge player, a volunteer at the Bargain Mart, and a good friend to many other residents.

Betty died on August 6 at the Casey House of Montgomery County Hospice. She was pre-deceased by her husband Alex, her son Andrew, and her sisters Polly Hastings and Susan Truss. She is survived by her three daughters: Sandy Derge (Bill), Sherry Fizdale (Ed) and MaryBeth Sarr (Kevin). She was blessed to have 8 grandchildren: Seth Pettie (Liz), Sarah Derge, Frances Barrett (Nick), Ben Derge (Sarah), Alex Halls (Tanya), Philip Halls (Jen), JoJo Sarr, and Maclean Sarr. She is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Grandma Betty was deeply loved by her family and will be greatly missed.

Services will be at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Potomac on August 28, 2022 at 1:00 pm. Donations in her name can be made to Casey House of Montgomery County Hospice, or Geneva Presbyterian Church.