Betty was born Elizabeth Rose Croonquist on July 7, 1928, in Teaneck, New Jersey. She was raised in a close-knit family, attended Holy Trinity High School, and was capped as a registered nurse after graduating from Holy Name Hospital Nursing School in 1949.
The Croonquist family maintained a long-term relationship with the Hautau family, who lived in nearby Bergenfield. Consequently, Betty would encounter her future husband at a joint picnic as fellow three-year-old toddlers. The two would (over time) solidify their love, marrying on September 11, 1954.
Betty and Charles would commence raising a family in Bergenfield, New Jersey, while nurturing the HJ Hautau and Sons family wholesale florist business. The enterprise and family relocated to Branchville, New Jersey, in 1966 and still operates today as a third-generation wholesale floral business.
At times, Betty relied on her nursing vocation to supplement the family, but her gracious heart led her to volunteer widely. Some of the beneficiaries included St. Joseph’s Grade School in Newton, Pope John XXIII High School, and Cub Scouts (a fearless Den Mother for Frankford Township’s Pack/Troop 180!). Betty was a dedicated member of the Branchville Historical Society and the Newton Food Cooperative. She and her husband were among the founding families of the Pope John XXIII endowment, which continues to support the school’s programs and families today.
Notably, she attained a well-deserved reputation as a lace maker and baker of outstanding oatmeal cookies that fueled her children’s sports teams at both the high school and collegiate levels.
A LASTING LEGACY
Betty is survived by her siblings, Rosemary Hall of Atlanta, GA and George Croonquist and his wife, June of Hackensack, NJ as well as her children – Mena Hautau and Debra DeBroux, Charles and Julie Hautau, Kevin and Kelly Hautau, Suzanne and Jerome Romania, Amy and Dr. Ron Snyder, Brian and Kimberley Hautau, David and Lexie Hautau, and Elizabeth Hautau and Benjamin Karp, along with her 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Betty was always there—with sound advice, a shoulder to lean on, or loudly cheering from the stands. A loving daughter, a generous sister, a dedicated wife, a gracious aunt, a welcoming grandmother, and a true friend to all that knew her. To us, she will always be -MOM. We will miss her deeply and remember her fondly.
IN GRATITUDE
The Hautau Family gives thanks to the nurses and staff at Preferred Care at Home, the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice program, our family, and the many friends who supported us through this journey.
In lieu of flowers the family graciously request that donations be made in memory of Elizabeth R. (Croonquist) Hautau to the Josephine Iorio Scholarship Fund at the Holy Name Medical Center (www.holyname.org/alumni/scholarship.aspx).
