Betty Jane Ludwig

Betty Jane Smith-Ludwig was born January 25, 1937 - April 4, 2025. Survived by daughter P Diane Steinhauer-Hess (Allan Hess); Son Richard Douglas Steinhauer, Granddaughter Abigail Davenport, Ellexia Davenport, Vallerie Davenport-Whetstone (Nicholas Whetstone); sister Gloria Ann Smith-Talbott, nephews Darrell Tonden and Alan Tonden (Tracy Tonden), Randy Whitman (Joyce Whitman). Betty was raised in Lancaster County by her mother Pearl Frances Smith, her grandmother Irene Hurst Lehman, and her sister Esther May Whitman. She was preceded in death by husband Dr Charles Max Fredo Ludwig III DDO, and brother David Samuel Smith. She studied at Blue Mountain Academy followed by Washington Adventist University, graduated in 1955. Betty went to The Philadelphia Academy in Philadelphia and then graduated HS at Blue Ridge Mountain Academy, Pa. She worked in DC for years at the Library of congress. She also worked at Park City Center as Assistant Marketing Director for years where she ran the Miss South Central Pennsylvania Pageant for 28 years. She was a stay-at-home mom for the 1st 5 years of her children's lives winning baking contests & sewing the most wonderful outfits for her children. With Diane and Doug in diapers and as young as 3 months old she traveled the country and camped in 46 states. Later Charlie introduced her to Bed & Breakfast traveling and that was her passion. The two of them traveled to see Phantom of The Opera in the Original Opera House in Canada, Cardinal baseball games, their semiannually trip to Canada’s Exclusive Lake side “camp,” where they had been known to steal their youngest granddaughter Abigail to spoil. The couple loved B&B’s in Savanah and Charleston. Betty loved her children, but when her last grandchild was born, there was a connection like no other. Abigail was 8 yrs younger than her next older sibling, so Grandma & Pop Pop played a major part in her life. Diane was in the Air Force. When Diane Deployed Abigail lived with them. Often Grandma and Grandpa would drive from Lititz, PA, to Baltimore, MD to take Abigail out to lunch in Little Italy and then be able to spend a night or two to spend time with their daughter and the rest of the granddaughters. After Charlie passed away Betty moved in with Diane for the winters and as years went on, Rachel joined the family in Towson as “grandma” started spending longer and longer winters with us. 2020 found Betty back in her Lititz, PA home full time with Diane, Allan, & Abigail, selling their home in Towson to look after her in her senior years. She was at peace and stated that she was ready to join her mother, grandmother, her siblings Esther, David, & Diana and numerous family members and friends in heaven the day before she passed.

Mother is now in the eternal walk in the garden of paradise.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Lititz Library as Betty, the avid reader, loved her books. Gloria, her sister, stated that Betty was rarely sighted without a book in her hand, reading up to a book a day. As she aged and no longer drove the employees and volunteers of the Lititz Library brought her books on their own time.

https://lititzlibrary.org/bequests-and-other-donations/