Betty Jane Barndt, 82, died at her cottage by the sea with a front row view of the Gulf Coast with her children, Arthur Barndt Jr., daughter Beth Barndt-Knight and brother, William Orr lll by her side on June 22 after a brief bout with cancer. She had a strong faith in God which carried her into his hands upon her death.
Her illness didn’t hold her down as she was with friends teaching watercolor painting and hosting the ladies in her home for dulcimer lessons only a month before. It is difficult to talk about Betty in the past tense since she touched everyone that she met with energy, aliveness, and strength which is with all who met her today. Betty was often looking for the next adventure as her life was filled with faith in God, family, friends, laughter, watercolor painting, music, dance, good food, and a bit of feistiness thrown in for good measure.
She had many noteworthy accomplishments in life including Miss Chester County, S.C., attending Winthrop College, and graduating University of Maryland as a RN. She received her bachelor's degree at Gwynedd Mercy University some years later. She was gifted in communicating with people and served her community selflessly. Her personality and smile made many friends in life. She met Arthur Barndt Sr. while she was in nursing school and moved to Pennsylvania where they raised their family in a house that they built on the Allentown Road in Earlington, Pennsylvania. Art was by her side joining her in many escapades as they were married for almost 60 years.
While working as a nurse in Pennsylvania, she directed and wrote plays for the school and Leidy’s church in Souderton, Pa., as well as performed at the Dutch Country Playhouse in Sellersville, Pennsylvania. There was never a dull moment when Betty was involved in a project, and she and Art jumped in with both feet to all that they did whether it was entertaining in their home or making lasagna for the entire church on New Years Eve.
Also, as a family, Betty and Art spent many hours camping; they especially loved camping in Maine at Mount Desert Campground. It was their love of camping that eventually led to their buying the Shore Forest Manor campground in Hop Bottom, Pennsylvania and owned and operated it for fifteen years and one of the happiest times of their lives. In addition to this and always looking to serve others, she became involved in their local church, and Betty spent a few summers in Dorchester, Massachusetts as a cook with the Boston Project.
She and Art then went on to retire to their dream lake house in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania and had many happy memories and family holiday traditions at the lake, but the adventures didn’t end there, and they were ready for some warmth during the cold months and headed to Melbourne Beach, Florida. Often in search for the best fishing spot for Art and project for Betty, they settled at Outdoor Resorts and continued making friends while Art fished, Betty would learn watercolor painting and do clogging with the girls. After this they sold their lake house and officially became snow birds and spent summers camping at Scotts Cove in Alfred, Maine close to their daughter Beth and grandchildren Ben and Sam. Betty was actively involved in Ben and Sam’s life teaching them creative endeavors through music and art.
Needing to settle in one place, they moved from Melbourne Beach and Alfred, Maine in the summers to Shell Point Beach, Florida near their son Arthur Barndt Jr.. Betty and Art spent many hours listening to Artie play the guitar surrounded by family, friends and food in their home that overlooked the Gulf Coast. Art died in 2018 with his wife and son by his side. Betty went on to continue the traditions of family, food, and fun as she spent the next few years active in her church and community. She continued to be a busy, fun-loving friend, mom, grandmother and neighbor until her passing. Only last summer, she took a train at the age 81 to New York City and met Ben, her grandson, who lived there and then went on to ride the bus to Maine to attend Sam, her other grandson’s, graduation party. Nothing stopped her from getting to where she needed to go. She was even the treasurer of the Shell Point Association, FL. until her death.
Betty’s memory will be cherished by her son Arthur Barndt Jr. of Crawfordville, FL. and daughter Beth Barndt-Knight and grandchildren Benjamin A. Knight and Samuel R. Knight, York, Maine. Other family members include her brother
William Orr Ill and wife Phyllis White, Vero Beach, Fl. her nieces Tracey Hyatt, Chester, S.C., and MaKenzie Hyatt, Pensacola, Fl., Sara Hyatt and nephew Garrison Hyatt, Chester, S.C.. Also her sister Charlotte and husband Walter Boyd of Georgia, and her late brother Ellerbe Pelham, her sister-in-law Vicky and husband Denny Lederach, Schwenkville, Pa. nephews Christopher Lederach, Nathan and wife Tori Lederach , Philadelphia, Pa. and Ryan Lederach and Jamie Firoillo, Florida, her brother-in-law R. Barry Barndt and wife Suzanne Barndt and nieces Kim Barndt and Sharon Gates of Indianapolis, In.
No memorial service is planned at this time because of the pesky coronavirus. Thank you to all who shared this journey with our beloved mother. She will be missed greatly.
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