Obituary: Bettejayne Whitcomb, 19302024
Oct 29, 2024
Avid pilot was a member of the local Experimental Aircraft Association and volunteered to fly patients to hospitals as part of AirLifeLine
Bettejayne Whitcomb died peacefully at the McClure Miller Respite home in Colchester, after a brief stay. She was born on July 7, 1930, in Newburgh, N.Y., to Florence and Arthur Farr. She grew up in Newburgh and Ware, Mass., where she swam competitively throughout her high school years. She graduated salutatorian of her high school class in 1948 and went on to get a BS in zoology at UMass Amherst. She met her first husband, Ed Bacon (d.2004), while they were both attending college there and got married in 1953. Bettejayne worked at Cornell University and then the University of Connecticut. In 1960 they had a son, Stephen. Two years later they moved to Jericho, Vt., and she raised Stephen while Ed worked at the University of Vermont. Tragically, Stephen died in 1967 due to melanoma of the brain. Seth was born in 1968 and Susan in 1970. She and Ed later divorced. She went on to work at UVM in the Gastroenterology Department for over 20 years before retiring in 1995. In 1978 she married Eugene Chastenay (d.1989). He was an avid pilot and encouraged her to take flying lessons and get her private pilot’s license a couple of years later. They had several planes over the years, and she loved sharing her passion. She was a member of the local Experimental Aircraft Association. She also volunteered to fly patients to hospitals as part of AirLifeLine. She married John (Jack) Whitcomb in 1994 (d. 2017), and together they enjoyed time with their families and grandchildren and dogs. They loved to travel and went to many amazing destinations all over the world. She lived a full and amazing life. She had a lifelong love of swimming and reading. She also liked to knit and sew and loved to refinish old furniture. She was also involved in the local Mary C. Burdick Order of the Eastern Star, was a member of Jericho and Westford Congregational Churches and served on the Jericho Cemetery board. She is survived by her son, Seth; daughter, Susan, and her husband, Darren; and grandchildren, Steven, Aiyana, Trever and Colleen; her nieces, Cheryl Shaskan, Heather Benedict and Holly Ross; and cousin, Linda Mitchell. A memorial service will be held at the Mt. Mansfield Lodge #26 F&AM in Jericho at 1 PM, Nov 1st, with a small interment ceremony following in the Jericho Corners Cemetery. In lieu of…