Born in Decatur, IL on March 1, 1935, she was the youngest of the five children of Helen (Etter) Hershfelt and WWI veteran Philip Hershfelt.
The first in her family to attend college, she earned her master's degree in education at Florida State University in 1963. After twelve years as a homemaker, she taught 4th and 5th grade for 25 years at Pinellas Park Elementary and Leila Davis Elementary in Pinellas County, FL. Her recorded proudest career accomplishment was retirement.
A founding member of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Clearwater, FL, she volunteered there in several different roles such as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist to the homebound, an active member of the FAST team, and Teacher of Religious Education. For 24 years she served the citizens of Dunedin as a member of the Dunedin Parks and Recreation Advisory Team.
She also enjoyed being silly, traveling, walking, clogging, CrossFit, picnics, jigsaw puzzles, crossword/word puzzles, reading mystery books, games of all sorts, giggling, and volunteering at St. Vincent DePaul’s soup kitchen, and delivering Meals on Wheels with Neighborly Care Network. She hoped to be remembered as “precious”.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Carlos, her father and mother, her three brothers and their wives, and her one sister and her husband.
She is survived by her three children, Mark Taylor of Whitman, MA, Leslie (Taylor) Rogers, her husband Jeff Rogers of Dunedin, FL, and Brian Taylor of Tallahassee, FL, three grandchildren, Cameron Rogers of Lakewood Ranch, FL, Phillip Taylor of Carlstadt, NJ, and Kirby Taylor of Tallahassee, FL, one niece, five nephews and many friends who already miss her dearly.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, August 15th at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church at 11:00 AM with interment following at Sylvan Abbey Cemetery. A lunch and Celebration of Her Life at Sylvan Abbey will immediately follow the graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Clare, 3848 Tarian Ct. Palm Harbor, FL 34684, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church: Online Giving - St. Michael the Archangel - Clearwater, FL and Neighborly Care Network: Donations | Neighborly Senior Care Network.
